Highly efficient recovery and clean-up of four heavy metals from MSWI fly ash by integrating leaching, selective extraction and adsorption
Journal article, 2019

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash contains significant amounts of heavy metals (e.g., Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and is therefore considered to be a hazardous waste requiring proper treatment prior to its disposal. In this work, an integrated hydrometallurgical process for treatment of MSWI fly ash was evaluated. Valuable metals, e.g. Cu and Zn, were first recovered by combining leaching and extraction sequentially. In the next step, the t removal of Cd and Pb from the remaining leachate using four types of iron-based adsorbents was evaluated. The leaching was optimized with respect to pH, leaching time and liquid to solid ratio. A test done under optimal conditions gave metal releases of 100% and 80% for Cu and Zn as well as 100% and 85% for Cd and Pb, respectively. The resulting leachate was contacted with organic phases based on kerosene containing the extractants LIX860N–I for Cu extraction and Cyanex 572 for Zn extraction in two consecutive steps. Efficient extractions were achieved, thus demonstrating that the combination of leaching and extraction can be successfully used for the recovery of Cu and Zn. Adsorption of heavy metal ions on various iron based sorbents to detoxify the aqueous effluent from the extraction showed good removal efficiency (more than 95%) for both Cd and Pb. The results of this study show that the proposed integrated process is a promising tool that can be used in the strategy for metal recovery and detoxification of MSWI fly ash.

Copper/zinc

MSWI fly ash

Metal recovery

Detoxification

Cadmium/lead

Hydrometallurgy

Author

Jinfeng Tang

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Linköping University

Guangzhou University

Minhua Su

Guangzhou University

Qihang Wu

Guangzhou University

Lezhang Wei

Guangzhou University

Linköping University

Nana Wang

Guangzhou University

Enzong Xiao

Guangzhou University

Hongguo Zhang

Linköping University

Guangzhou University

Yongjun Wei

Zhengzhou University

Yingkui Liu

XuZhou Medical University

Christian Ekberg

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Britt-Marie Steenari

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Tangfu Xiao

Guangzhou University

Journal of Cleaner Production

0959-6526 (ISSN)

Vol. 234 139-149

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Production

Energy

Materials Science

Subject Categories

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Energy Systems

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.198

More information

Latest update

12/3/2019