Permeability study on the cement based solidification process for the disposal of hazardous wastes

✍ Scribed by C.S. Poon; A.I. Clark; R. Perry; A.P. Barker; P. Barnes

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 519 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-8846
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(86)90132-8

✦ Synopsis

Communicated by C.D. Pomeroy) (Received Nov. 12, 1985) The permeability of two cement based solidification processes for the disposal of hazardous wastes based on cement/silicate and cement/pulverized-fuel-ash has been assessed by using an oxygen permeability cell.

The effect of three different heavy metals on the permeability and strength of the cementitious matrices was studied.

The results showed a consistent effect of different metal contaminants on the permeability of the solidified matrices. Zinc contaminated samples had the highest permeability followed in succession by cadmium and mercury. Mercury intrusion porosity measurement on the samples showed a good correlation between the pore structure and permeability.

Two mechanisms have been identified for the immobilization of heavy metals from the solidified matrices.

A chemical fixation mechanism accounted for the retention of zinc and cadmium and a combination of this chemical and physical isolation process is thought to be responsible for the containment of mercury.