Abstract
Steel slag reuse as a construction material is an attractive solution for the management of the industrial byproduct. However, concern exists on the release of steel slag constituents when a massive amount of the material is reused in the field. This study is aimed to improve the understanding on the leaching characteristics of iron and manganese, two heavy metals that are present in steel slag at relatively high contents. Concentrations of iron and manganese in the batch leaching experiment readily reach close to equilibrium within 1 hour. Batch leaching experiments conducted with exchange of the leaching solution at 1 hour intervals show that the leaching occurs consistently with relatively constant concentration up to 50 events of exchange. The leaching is a strong function of salinity showing factors of 11.6 and 3.8 increase in iron and manganese leachate concentrations, respectively. Despite the wide size ranges (<0.5 to >25 mm) tested, effect of slag grain size is less pronounced compared to the salinity effect. The average concentration in the leachate for 50 leaching events is sub-mg L−1 level for iron at most and an order of magnitude lower for manganese than the value for iron. These results show that steel slag is an almost permanent but a very low-level source of iron and manganese when reused in the environment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amin, S. A., Green, D. H., Hart, M. C., Kupper, F. C., Sunda, W. G., and Carrano, C. J. (2009). “Photolysis of iron-siderophore chelates promotes bacterial-algal mutualism.” Proc. The National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106, No. 40, pp. 17071–17076, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0905512106.
Barca, C., Gerente, C., Meyer, D., Cliazarenc, F., and Andres, Y. (2012). “Phosphate removal from synthetic and real wastewater using steel slags produced in Europe.” Water Research, Vol. 46, No. 7, pp. 2376–2384, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2012.02.012.
Bendz, D., Tuchsen, P. L., and Christensen, T. H. (2007). “The dissolution kinetics of major elements in municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash particles.” Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Vol. 94, Nos. 3–4, pp. 178–194, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2007.05.010.
Chand, S., Paul, B., and Kumar, M. (2017). “Short-term leaching study of heavy metals from LD slag of important steel industries in Eastern India.” Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 851–862, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-016-0486-z.
Chen, B., Yoon, S., Zhang, Y., Han, L., and Choi, Y. (2019). “Reduction of steel slag leachate pH via humidification using water and aqueous reagents.” Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 671, pp. 598–607, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.362.
Cornell, R., Posner, A., and Quirk, J. (1976). “Kinetics and mechanisms of the acid dissolution of goethite (α-FeOOH).” Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 563–567, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1902(76)80305-3.
De Windt, L., Chaurand, P., and Rose, J. (2011). “Kinetics of steel slag leaching: Batch tests and modeling.” Waste Management, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 225–235, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.05.018.
Ellis, J. B. and Revitt, D. M. (1982). “Incidence of heavy metals in street surface sediments: Solubility and grain size studies.” Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 87–100, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164094.
Fallman, A. (2000). “Leaching of chromium and barium from steel slag in laboratory and field tests—a solubility controlled process?” Waste Management, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 149–154, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0956-053x(99)00313-x.
Fontecha-Camara, M., Lopez-Ramon, M., Alvarez-Merino, M., and Moreno-Castilla, C. (2007). “Effect of surface chemistry, solution pH, and ionic strength on the removal of herbicides diuron and amitrole from water by an activated carbon fiber.” Langmuir, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 1242–1247, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/la062200f.
Fruchter, J. S., Rai, D., and Zachara, J. M. (1990). “Identification of solubility-controlling solid phases in a large fly ash field lysimeter.” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 24, No. 8, pp. 1173–1179, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es00078a004.
Gan, J., Cui, J., Li, X., Muhammad, Y., Wang, Y., and Su, H. (2018). “Kinetics of manganese leaching from an iron-rich manganese dioxide ore with bagasse pith as a reductant.” New Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 42, No. 24, pp. 20144–20151, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NJ03875A.
Gomes, J. F. and Pinto, C. G. (2006). “Leaching of heavy metals from steelmaking slags.” Revista de Metalurgia, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 409–416, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalm.2006.v42.i6.39.
Hydes, D. J. (1980). “Reduction of matrix effects with a soluble organic acid in the carbon furnace atomic absorption spectrometric determination of cobalt, copper, and manganese in sea water.” Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 52, No. 6, pp. 959–963, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ac50056a042.
Hyks, J., Astrup, T., and Christensen, T. H. (2009). “Long-term leaching from MSWI air-pollution-control residues: Leaching characterization and modeling.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 162, No. 1, pp. 80–91, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.05.011.
Isawa, T. (2013). “Update of iron and steel slag in Japan and current developments for valorization.” Proc. The 3rd International Slag Valorization Symposium, KU Leuven, Belgium, pp. 43–48.
Jiao, F., Zhang, L., Dong, Z., Namioka, T., Yamada, N., and Ninomiya, Y. (2016). “Study on the species of heavy metals in MSW incineration fly ash and their leaching behavior.” Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 152, pp. 108–115, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2016.06.013.
Kosson, D. S., Van der Sloot, H. A., and Eighmy, T. (1996). “An approach for estimation of contaminant release during utilization and disposal of municipal waste combustion residues.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 47, No. 1–3, pp. 43–75, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3894(95)00109-3.
Leigh-Smith, J., Reichelt-Brushett, A. and Rose, A. L. (2018). “The characterization of iron (III) in seawater and related toxicity to early life stages of scleractinian corals.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 1104–1114, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4043.
Li, C. and Zhao, F. (2018). “Application of fly ash/granulated blastfurnace slag cementing material for immobilization of Pb2+.” MATEC Web of Conferences, EDP Sciences, Vol. 175, pp. 01020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201817501020.
Lim, T. T. and Chu, J. (2006). “Assessment of the use of spent copper slag for land reclamation.” Waste Management & Research, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 67–73, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X06061769.
Liu, X. and Millero, F. J. (2002). “The solubility of iron in seawater.” Marine Chemistry, Vol. 77, No. 1, pp. 43–54, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4203(01)00074-3.
Manso, J. M., Polanco, J. A., Losanez, M., and Gonzalez, J. J. (2006). “Durability of concrete made with EAF slag as aggregate.” Cement and Concrete Composites, Vol. 28, No. 6, pp. 528–534, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2006.02.008.
Maslehuddin, M., Sharif, A. M., Shameem, M., Ibrahim, M., and Barry, M. (2003). “Comparison of properties of steel slag and crushed limestone aggregate concretes.” Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 105–112, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-0618(02)00095-8.
Motz, H. and Geiseler, J. (2001). “Products of steel slags an opportunity to save natural resources.” Waste Management, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 285–293, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0956-053X(00)00102-1.
Moustakas, K., Mavropoulos, A., Katsou, E., Haralambous, K. J., and Loizidou, M. (2012). “Leaching properties of slag generated by a gasification/vitrification unit: The role of pH, particle size, contact time and cooling method used.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 207, pp. 44–50, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.09.070.
Musson, S. E., Jang, Y. C., Townsend, T. G., and Chung, I. H. (2000). “Characterization of lead leachability from cathode ray tubes using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure.” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 34, No. 20, pp. 4376–4381, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es0009020.
Nadaska, G., Lesny, J., and Michalik, I. (2010). “Environmental aspect of manganese chemistry.” Health and Environment Journal, Vol. 100702-A, pp. 1–16.
Navarro, C., Diaz, M., and Villa-Garcia, M. a. A. (2010). “Physicochemical characterization of steel slag: Study of its behavior under simulated environmental conditions.” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 44, No. 14, pp. 5383–5388, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es100690b.
Niemiec, M. and Wisniowska-Kielian, B. (2015). “Accumulation of manganese in selected links of food chains in aquatic ecosystems.” Journal of Elementology, Vol. 20, No. 4, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5601/jelem.2015.20.1.808.
Partridge, G. and Lymbery, A. (2009). “Effects of manganese on juvenile mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) cultured in water with varying salinity—Implications for inland mariculture.” Aquaculture, Vol. 290, No. 3, pp. 311–316, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2009.02.020.
Proctor, D., Fehling, K., Shay, E., Wittenborn, J., Green, J., Avent, C., Bigham, R., Connolly, M., Lee, B., and Shepker, T. (2000). “Physical and chemical characteristics of blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, and electric arc furnace steel industry slags.” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 1576–1582, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es9906002.
Richards, I. G., Palmer, J., and Barratt, P. (1993). The reclamation of former coal mines and steelworks, Vol. 56, Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sagoe-Crentsil, K. and Glasser, F. P. (1993). “Green rust, iron solubility and the role of chloride in the corrosion of steel at high pH.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 785–791, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8846(93)90032-5.
Schmukat, A., Duester, L., Ecker, D., Schmid, H., Heil, C., Heininger, P., and Ternes, T. A. (2012). “Leaching of metal(loid)s from a construction material: Influence of the particle size, specific surface area and ionic strength.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 227, pp. 257–264, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.05.045.
Shanmuganathan, P., Lakshmipathiraj, P., Kumar, S., Sumathy, A., and Srikanth, S. (2012). “Stability of copper smelter slag in sea water.” Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 68–76, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.10523.
Shanmuganathan, P., Lakshmipathiraj, P., Srikanth, S., Nachiappan, A., and Sumathy, A. (2008). “Toxicity characterization and long-term stability studies on copper slag from the ISASMELT process.” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 601–611, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2007.08.001.
Sidhu, P., Gilkes, R., Cornell, R., and Posner, A. (1981). “Dissolution of iron oxides and oxyhydroxides in hydrochloric and perchloric acids.” Clays and Clay Minerals, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 269–276, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.1981.0290404.
Sorlini, S., Sanzeni, A., and Rondi, L. (2012). “Reuse of steel slag in bituminous paving mixtures.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 209, pp. 84–91, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.12.066.
Summer, K., Reichelt-Brushett, A., and Howe, P. (2019). “Toxicity of manganese to various life stages of selected marine cnidarian species.” Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Vol. 167, pp. 83–94, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.09.116.
US EPA/540/1-86-054 (1984). “Health effects assessment for iron (and compounds).” EPA/540/1-86-054, Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C., USA.
Van Jaarsveld, J., Van Deventer, J., and Schwartzman, A. (1999). “The potential use of geopolymeric materials to immobilise toxic metals: Part II. Material and leaching characteristics.” Minerals Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 75–91, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0892-6875(98)00121-6 [Accessed on May 29, 2019].
Worldsteel Association (2016). Fact sheet-steel industry co-products, Worldsteel Association, https://doi.org/www.worldsteel.org/en/dam/jcr: 1b916a6d-06fd-4e84-b35d-c1d911d18df4/Fact_By-products_2016. [Accessed on May 29, 2019].
Xu, Z. (2008). “Research on application of slag concrete in sea dyke projects.” Port & Waterway Engineering, Vol. 10, pp. 239–244, DOI: https://doi.org/10.16233/j.cnki.issn1002-4972.2008.10.038 (in Chinese).
Yao, Q., Wang, X., Jian, H., Chen, H., and Yu, Z. (2015). “Characterization of the particle size fraction associated with heavy metals in suspended sediments of the Yellow River.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 6725–6744, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606725.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by China Scholarship Council (CSC) and the Korea Ministry of Environment as “The SEM projects”; grant no. 2018002450002. The authors would like to thank the Institute of Engineering Research at Seoul National University for technical assistance. The authors also would like to thank a Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Han, L., Chen, B., Liu, T. et al. Leaching Characteristics of Iron and Manganese from Steel Slag with Repetitive Replenishment of Leachate. KSCE J Civ Eng 23, 3297–3304 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-019-0250-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-019-0250-8