Abstract: Increasing attention has been paid to air pollution control (APC)
residues in China recently due to the rising proportion of waste incineration
and the hazardous characteristics of the residues, among which heavy metal
leaching toxicity plays an important role. Leaching behavior and potential risk
of Pb and Zn in the APC residues from a Shanghai municipal solid waste (MSW)
incinerator was studied, based on the leaching tests under different conditions
and theoretical calculation using a geochemical thermodynamic equilibrium model
MINTEQA2. Results showed that, extractant species and liquid to solid (L/S)
ratio predominantly controlled the leaching toxicity of Pb and Zn, while ionic
strength, vibration method and leaching time had less effect on the metals
release. Leachate/final pH determined the metal leaching behavior, which changed
the speciation of heavy metals in the extraction system. The equilibrium
aqueous speciation, precipitation-dissolution of Pb and Zn was investigated
according to the model computation, which was well in agreement with the
experimental results.
Keywords: leaching behavior, air pollution control residues, MINTEQA2, incineration plant, heavy metals