Metal removal from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration fly ash: a comparison between chemical leaching and bioleaching

Valerio Funari, Jarno Mäkinen, Justin Salminen, Roberto Braga (Corresponding Author), Enrico Dinelli, Hannu Revitzer

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    132 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Bio- and hydrometallurgical experimental setups at 2-l reactor scale for the processing of fly ash from municipal waste incinerators were explored. We aimed to compare chemical H2SO4 leaching and bioleaching; the latter involved the use of H2SO4 and a mixed culture of acidophilic bacteria. The leaching yields of several elements, including some of those considered as critical (Mg, Co, Ce, Cr, Ga, Nb, Nd, Sb and Sm), are provided. At the end of the experiments, both leaching methods resulted in comparable yields for Mg and Zn (>90%), Al and Mn (>85%), Cr (~65%), Ga (~60%), and Ce (~50%). Chemical leaching showed the best yields for Cu (95%), Fe (91%), and Ni (93%), whereas bioleaching was effective for Nd (76%), Pb (59%), and Co (55%). The two leaching methods generated solids of different quality with respect to the original material as we removed and significantly reduced the metals amounts, and enriched solutions where metals can be recovered for example as mixed salts for further treatment. Compared to chemical leaching the bioleaching halved the use of H2SO4, i.e., a part of agent costs, as a likely consequence of bio-produced acid and improved metal solubility.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)397-406
    JournalWaste Management
    Volume60
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2017
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Keywords

    • bioleaching
    • critical elements
    • metal removal
    • municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash
    • S- and Fe-oxidizing bacteria
    • sulphuric acid leaching
    • Metal removal

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