According to the dual needs of heat transfer and thermal insulation in incinerators,different parts of the incinerators are designed with refractories of different SiC contents.Water vapor is mainly concentrated in th...According to the dual needs of heat transfer and thermal insulation in incinerators,different parts of the incinerators are designed with refractories of different SiC contents.Water vapor is mainly concentrated in the zones of feeding,drying and combustion,and the main damage factors of SiC refractories include high temperature and hydration.The results of hydration resistance of typical SiC-containing refractories show that the higher the SiC content,the worse the hydration resistance.Si_(3)N_(4)-SiC refractories after oxidation treatment have good hydration corrosion resistance,which are appropriate for water-cooled wall of waste incinerators.展开更多
Medical waste incinerators emit a wide range of pollutants like heavy metals, dioxins and furans. These include Pb (lead), Hg (mercury), Cd (cadmium), fine dust particles and PICs (products of incomplete combus...Medical waste incinerators emit a wide range of pollutants like heavy metals, dioxins and furans. These include Pb (lead), Hg (mercury), Cd (cadmium), fine dust particles and PICs (products of incomplete combustion). The objective was to determine the elemental composition of medical waste residue after incineration in selected hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya. Bottom/fly ash samples were collected from the burners/incinerators in the selected health care facilities visited. The concentrations of the metals in the fly ash and bottom ash were determined using an XRF (X-ray fluorescence) spectrometer after acid digestion. The concentrations of heavy metals in the fly and bottom ash were as follows: Ti (titanium) 62-839 mg·kg^-1 and a mean of 202 mg·kg^-1 and 344 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and bottom ash, respectively. Ca (calcium) was 37,753-204,475 mg.kg1 with means of 27,132 mg.kg-1 in fly ash and 131,185 mgg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. Zn (zinc) was 297-6,605 mg·kg^-1 with means (2,307 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash, 4,359 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash), Pb (13-1,819 mg·kg^-1) had means of 280 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 291 mg-kg-1 in bottom ash. Cu (copper) (9.5-250 mg·kg^-1) had means of 83.47 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 98.8 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. The wide variations in results can be attributed to the different burners/incinerators used and different segregation methods of the medical waste. The results show that the reported levels of heavy metals could pose a health risk due to possible leaching after disposal.展开更多
This paper provides analytical diagnosis of mechanical conditions of medical waste incinerators used for healthcare waste (HCW) treatment in Tanzania. The main features assessed were types of incinerators, features of...This paper provides analytical diagnosis of mechanical conditions of medical waste incinerators used for healthcare waste (HCW) treatment in Tanzania. The main features assessed were types of incinerators, features of incinerators and incinerator house. The assessment was conducted in three levels of health care facilities (HCFs), that is, Regional, district hospitals and health centers, existed in 26 regions of Tanzania. Questionnaires, interview and checklists were used as tools for data collection. It was observed that High-Tech incinerators are mainly used in regional hospitals, while district hospital and health center use both High-Tech and De-Montfort incinerators. About 60% of the incinerators have defective doors. More than 55% of incinerators are corroded in regional and district hospitals. The chimney, top plates and grate which are good condition are 55.6% and 60% in regional hospitals and health centers, respectively. The situation is below 50% in district hospitals. The leakage of the roof and loose structures were observed in district hospitals and health center to be more than 50% of the incinerator houses. On other hand, the performance of burners and incinerator housing cleanliness are generally good. It was concluded that the incinerators in the HCFs are in bad conditions, necessitating maintenance.展开更多
Basic properties of fly ash samples from different urban waste combustion facilities in China were analyzed using as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The lea...Basic properties of fly ash samples from different urban waste combustion facilities in China were analyzed using as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The leaching toxicity procedure and some factors influencing heavy metals distribution in fly ash were further investigated. Experimental results indicate that the fly ash structures are complex and its properties are variable. The results of XRF and SEM revealed that the major elements (〉10000 mg/kg, listed in decreasing order of abundance) in fly ash are O, Ca, Cl, Si, S, K, Na, Al, Fe and Zn. These elements account for 93% to 97%, and the content of Cl ranges from 6.93% to 29.18 %, while that of SiO2 does from 4.48% to 24.84%. The minor elements (1000 to 10000 mg/kg) include Cr, Cu and Pb. Primary heavy metals in fly ash include Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu etc. According to standard leaching test, heavy metal leaching levels vary from 0 to 163.10 mg/L (Pb) and from 0.049 to 164.90 mg/L (Zn), mostly exceeding the Chinese Identification Standard for hazardous wastes. Morphology of fly ash is irregular, with both amorphous structures and polycrystalline aggregates. Further research showed that heavy metals were volatilized at a high furnace temperature, condensed when cooling down during the post-furnace system and captured at air pollution control systems. Generally, heavy metals are mainly present in the forms of aerosol particulates or tiny particulates enriched on surfaces of fly ash particles. The properties of fly ash are greatly influenced by the treatment capacities of incinerators or the variation of waste retention time in chamber. Fly ash from combustors of larger capacities generally has higher contents of volatile component and higher leaching toxicity, while those of smaller capacities often produce fly ash containing higher levels of nonvolatile components and has lower toxicity. The content of heavy metals and leaching toxicity maybe have no convincing correlation, and high alkali content of CaO greatly contribute to leaching toxicity of heavy metal and acid neutralization capacity against acid rain.展开更多
Medical waste incinerator (MWI) fly ash is regarded as a highly toxic waste because it contains high concentrations of heavy metals anddioxins, including polychlorinateddibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinate...Medical waste incinerator (MWI) fly ash is regarded as a highly toxic waste because it contains high concentrations of heavy metals anddioxins, including polychlorinateddibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinateddibenzofurans (PCDFs). Therefore fly ash from MWI must be appropriately treated before beingdischarged into the environment. A melting process based on adirect current thermal plasma torch has beendeveloped to convert MWI fly ash into harmless slag. The leaching characteristics of heavy metals in fly ash and vitrified slag were investigated using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, while the content of PCDD/Fs in the fly ashes and slags was measured using method 1613 of the US EPA. The experimental results show that thedecomposition rate of PCDD/Fs is over 99% in toxic equivalent quantity value and the leaching of heavy metals in the slag significantlydecreases after the plasma melting process. The produced slag has a compact and homogeneous microstructure withdensity of up to2.8 g/cm3 .展开更多
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected i...Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected incinerators include two grate-type MSWIs: MSWI-A (350 t/d) and MSWI-B 050 t/d), and two fluidized bed MSWIs: MSWI-C (400 t/d) and MSWI-D (400 t/d), which are all equipped with semi-dry lime scrubber and bag filter except MSWI-D equipped with cyclone and wet scrubber (WS) as air pollutant control device (APCD). Results indicated that the emission concentration and the international toxic equivalents (I-TEQs) of the PCDD/Fs from the stacks were in the range of 1.210-10.273 ng/Nm^3 and 0.019-0.201 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3, respectively. They were greatly lower than the emission regulation standard of PCDD/Fs in China (1.0 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3). However, only the PCDD/Fs emission level from MSWI-C was below 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3. Although the homologue profiles were distinct, the contributions of the 2,3,7,8-subsituted congeners to the total I-TEQ were similar among all the investigated MSWIs. Two major 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, account for 47% and 9% (average values) of the total I-TEQ values, respectively. The correlation between PCDD/Fs levels and composition of flue gas was also discussed.展开更多
Biomass ashes contain valuable elements for plant growth, but also often high amounts of harmful heavy metals which limit their reuse in forests and on grassland. For monitoring metal concentrations, a fast and reliab...Biomass ashes contain valuable elements for plant growth, but also often high amounts of harmful heavy metals which limit their reuse in forests and on grassland. For monitoring metal concentrations, a fast and reliable method allowing the quantitative determination even at trace levels is mandatory. Therefore an analytical method consisting of an acidic microwave assisted digestion prior to ICP-OES measurement was optimized. The elements of interest were AI, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, St, Ti, V, and Zn. A validation including the following parameters was performed for each analyte: limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery by spiking experiments, accuracy by analyzing a certified reference material, reproducibility (wihtin-24 hours, 4 and 7 days), linearity, and uncertainty of measurement. Two standards series were used for calibration - one with 1 M HNO3 and one with additionally 2 g/L Mg(NOD2 to investigate the elimination or decrease of possible matrix effects. Both calibration methods showed very good recoveries. The method optimized allows the determination of the relevant elements covered by the recommendation of the Austrian ministry for agriculture and represents thus an appropriate tool for monitoring the metal contents in biomass ashes.展开更多
Steam oxidation resistance of Si3N4 and Si2N2O as well as SiAlON bonded SiC refractories at 900℃was tested according to ASTM-C863.Phase composition and microstructure before and after oxidation were analyzed by XRD a...Steam oxidation resistance of Si3N4 and Si2N2O as well as SiAlON bonded SiC refractories at 900℃was tested according to ASTM-C863.Phase composition and microstructure before and after oxidation were analyzed by XRD and SEM.The results show that Si3N4 and Si2N2O bonded SiC refractory presents better steam oxidation resistance than SiAlON bonded SiC.For Si3N4 and Si2N2O bonded SiC,the oxidation speed is higher with more pronounced volume expansion in the early 100 h;afterwards,the volume expansion slows down gradually and starts to level off after 300 h.It is considered that the high silica glass phase formed during the oxidation covers Si3N4 and Si2N2O,and SiC as a protective layer and fills the open pores.But for SiAlON bonded SiC,the volume expands gradually and constantly with the increasing oxidation duration even after 500 h,due to the continuous formation of mullite transformed from oxidation products and Al2O3 in SiAlON.展开更多
In Kuwait, there is growing concern over the disposal of wastes produced by hospitals since hospital wastes contain hazardous and infected wastes. All hospitals in Kuwait have adopted incineration as an alternative me...In Kuwait, there is growing concern over the disposal of wastes produced by hospitals since hospital wastes contain hazardous and infected wastes. All hospitals in Kuwait have adopted incineration as an alternative method to dispose of their wastes. Due to inefficient combustion of hospital incinerators, the Kuwaiti government decided to shut down all hospital incinerators, while the Sabah Incinerator (SAHI) and Shuaiba Incinerator (SUHI) were kept running. This study was initiated to focus on the determination of heavy metals in the bottom ashes produced by the SAHI and SUHI incinerators. Bottom ash was collected over a period of one year and heavy metals were determined. They were shown variation in their concentrations due to the initial waste composition and the operational procedures of the hospital incinerators.展开更多
Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms and compounds which can infect and affect hospital patients, healthcare workers, the general public and environment. Therefore, management of health care w...Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms and compounds which can infect and affect hospital patients, healthcare workers, the general public and environment. Therefore, management of health care waste requires safe handling, treatment and disposal procedures. While incineration reduces the volume and quantity of waste for final disposal, it leads to the production of fly and bottom ashes laden with toxic incomplete combustion products such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans and heavy metals. This exposes workers who handle and dispose the bottom ashes, hospital patients, the general public and environment. The goal of this study was to determine the total and individual levels of 16 most prevalent and toxic PAHs. Bottom ash samples were collected from incinerators in five county hospitals in Kenya, namely;Moi-Voi, Narok, Kitale, Makindu and Isiolo. Bottom ash samples were collected over a period of six months from the five hospitals. The samples were then sieved, homogenised and stored at 4°C in amber coloured glass containers. The PAHs were extracted using 30 ml of a hexane-acetone solvent (1:1) mixture by ultrasonication at room temperature (23°C) for 45 minutes. The PAHs were then analyzed with a GC-MS spectrophotometer model (Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 SE) connected to a computer work station was used for the PAHs analysis. The GC-MS was equipped with an SGE BPX5 GC capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm) for the separation of compounds. Helium was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 15.5 ml/minute and 14.5 psi. 1 μl of the sample was injected at 280°C, split mode (10:1). The oven programming was set for a total runtime of 40 minutes, which included: 100°C (2-minute hold);10°C /min rise to 200°C;7°C /min rise to 249°C;3°C /min rise to 300°C (2-minute hold). The interface temperature was set at 290°C. Analysis was done in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode and the peak areas of each of the PAHs were collected from the chromatograph and used for quantification of the 16 PAHs listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which included, BaA (benz[a]anthracene: 4 rings), BaP (benzo[a]pyrene: 5 rings), BbF (benzo [b]fluoranthene: 5 rings), BkF (benzo[k]fluoranthene: 5 rings), Chr (chrysene: 4 rings), DbA (dibenz[a,h]anthracene: 5 rings), InP (indeno[1,2,3 - cd] pyrene: 6 rings) and Acp (acenaphthene: 3 rings), Acpy (acenaphthylene: 3 rings), Ant (anthracene: 3 rings), BghiP (benzo[g,h,i]perylene: 6 rings), Flu (fluorene: 3 rings), FluA (fluoranthene: 4 rings), Nap (naphthalene: 2 rings), PhA (phenanthrene: 3 rings) and Pyr (pyrene: 4 rings). Ion source-interface temperature was set at 200°C - 250°C. Internal standards from Sigma Aldrich were used in the analysis and the acquired mass spectra data were then matched against the NIST 2014 library [1] [2]. The mean PAHs concentration in the bottom ashes of each hospital varied broadly from 0.001 mg/kg to 0.4845 mg/kg, and the mean total concentration levels of individual PAHs ranged from 0.0072 mg/kg to 1.171 mg/kg. Low molecular weight PAHs (Phenanthrene, Naphthalene and Fluorene) were predominant in all the hospital wastes whereas Kitale and Narok presented the lowest PAHs concentrations and the lowest number of individual PAHs. Moi/Voi recorded the highest total PAHs concentration at 1.3129 ± 0.0023 mg/kg from a total of 11 PAHs being detected from the bottom ash samples. Narok had only three PAHs being detected at very low concentrations of 0.0041 ± 0.00 mg/kg, 0.0076 ± 0.00 mg/kg and 0.012 ± 0.00 mg/kg for phenanthrene, anthracene and chrysene respectively. This study presents hospital incinerator bottom ash as containing detectable levels of both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAHs. Continued unprotected exposure of hospital workers (waste handlers) to the bottom ash PAHs could be hazardous to their health because of their cumulative effect. Preventive measures e.g. the use of Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be prioritised to minimise direct contact with the bottom ash. The study recommends an upgrade on incinerator technology for efficient combustion processes thus for better pollution control.展开更多
As China has expanded capacity to handle urban waste and divert trash from landfills,overcapacity in waste-to-energy plants has left some regions scrabbling for garbage.
Foliar uptake of airborne metal(loid)s plays a crucial role in metal(loid)accumulation in plant organs and is influ-enced by the size and emission sources of aerosols.Given the high enrichment of toxic metal(loid)s in...Foliar uptake of airborne metal(loid)s plays a crucial role in metal(loid)accumulation in plant organs and is influ-enced by the size and emission sources of aerosols.Given the high enrichment of toxic metal(loid)s in submicron-scale particulates(PM1),this study established a PM1 exposure system to examine airborne metal(loid)accu-mulation and foliar physiological responses in Oryza sativa L.The results showed that the concentrations of Cu,Zn,As,Pb,and Cd in the leaves and grains were influenced not only by the airborne metal(loid)levels but also by the specific nature of the PM1 particles.The quantitative model for PM1-associated Pb entry into leaf tissue indicated that foliar Pb accumulation was primarily driven by particle adhesion,followed by hydrophilic pene-tration and trans-stomatal liquid film migration,accounting for 87%–89%of the total accumulation.The strong hygroscopicity and high Pb activity of PM1 emitted from waste incineration(WI)increased the Pb absorption coefficient via the hydrophilic and liquid film migration pathway.In contrast,the high hydrophobicity of PM1 from coal burning(CB)led to greater retention of Pb on leaf surfaces.Both foliar reactive oxygen metabolism and photosynthesis indices were sensitive to air pollution.Foliar metal(loid)accumulation and airborne PM1 concentration accounted for the variance in physiological responses in rice leaves.Our results also indicated that Pb was the key element in PM1 emissions from both coal burning(CB)and waste incineration(WI)responsible for significant physiological changes in rice leaves.展开更多
Rapid development has led to a tremendous increase in the volume of solid waste produced in rural China.The annual amount of solid waste produced from Chinese rural areas is approximately 110 million tons.Many small-s...Rapid development has led to a tremendous increase in the volume of solid waste produced in rural China.The annual amount of solid waste produced from Chinese rural areas is approximately 110 million tons.Many small-scale solid waste incinerators have been built in Chinese rural areas.It was speculated that the emissions and potential risks of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs,commonly known as dioxins)and polychlorinated naphthalenes(PCNs)from these incinerators could be serious.A preliminary case investigation on PCDD/F and PCN emissions from a small-scale waste incinerator was performed.The stack gas samples were collected using auto isokinetic sampling techniques and PCDD/F and PCN congeners were identified and quantified by high resolution gas chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry.Concentrations and toxic equivalents of PCDD/Fs emitted from the small-scale waste incinerator were 153 ngm^-3 and 5.6 ng TEQ m^-3,respectively,which was much higher than the regulatory level for municipal solid waste incinerators permitted in China and the European Union Directive.PCNs have similar toxicological effects with PCDD/Fs,and the relative potency factors(RPFs)of some PCN congeners(dioxin-like PCNs)to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD)were previously proposed to evaluate the dioxin-like toxicity of PCNs.The mass concentrations of PCNs and dioxin-like PCNs from the small-scale solid incinerator were 2927 ngm^-3 and 1137 ngm^-3,much higher than that of dioxins.However,much less attention has been paid to the small-scale incinerators compared with municipal solid waste incinerators.Here,we proposed that there should be a growing need to focus on the emissions and potential risks of dioxins and dioxin-like pollutants from these small-scale waste incinerators in rural China.展开更多
This comprehensive review synthesizes findings from the studies conducted for more than two decades to assess en-vironmental and human health impacts near Spain's first hazardous waste incinerator(HWI)located in C...This comprehensive review synthesizes findings from the studies conducted for more than two decades to assess en-vironmental and human health impacts near Spain's first hazardous waste incinerator(HWI)located in Constantí(Tarra-gona,Catalonia).Through integrated analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans(PCDD/Fs)and metals across soil,vegetation,human tissues,and dietary matrices,the studies have shown:(1)PCDD/F concentrations decreased 75-96%in biological samples and dietary intake over 20 years,aligning with global emission reductions rather than HWI-4 operations;(2)metal trajectories showed arsenic intermittently exceeding carcinogenic thresholds in soils(1.1×10^(-4) risk index)and chromium accumulating in autopsy tissues(+16% in kidney),although without HWI-specific spatial gradi-ents;(3)systemic biomarkers revealed policy-driven declines—blood lead dropped 70% post-EU regulations,while mer-cury became undetectable in tissues post-2010.Health risk assessments confirmed that PCDD/F intake(0.122 pg WHO-TEQ/kg/day)remained still below WHO thresholds,with no attributable cancer risks for metals except legacy arsenic.The studies included in the program of surveillance show that PCDD/Fs and metals emissions by the HWI have meant a rather low contribution to population exposure to metals and PCDD/Fs compared to dietary and historical sources.How-ever,residual risks warrant attention.It mainly concerns chromium speciation and arsenic in soils,as well as the effects on vulnerable subpopulations and the synergistic effects among toxicants.Epidemiological studies are also required.展开更多
This work investigates a combined cooling,heating,and power(CCHP)generation system utilizing waste energy.A cascade-CCHP system is developed,consisting of a 23.65-kWe organic Rankine cycle(ORC),a 4.00-kW adsorption ch...This work investigates a combined cooling,heating,and power(CCHP)generation system utilizing waste energy.A cascade-CCHP system is developed,consisting of a 23.65-kWe organic Rankine cycle(ORC),a 4.00-kW adsorption chiller,a 4.11-kW absorption chiller,a 15.99-kW drying room,and an incinerator of 150 kg/h.A net energy production of 36.08 kWh is achieved from a CCHP energy efficiency of 9.98%.The levelized cost for producing a total energy output of 2,020,592 kWh over a lifespan of 20 years is approximately 0.106 USD/kWh.The life cycle assessment(LCA)yields a single score of approximately 0.000151 Pt,mainly attributed to raw materials used in the construction process of 87.16%.In addition,the combustion ash is processed into concrete blocks measuring 39 cm×19 cm×7 cm,in accordance with the Industrial Product Standard(TIS)58-2533,with a water absorption value below 5%and a compressive strength exceeding 25 kg/cm2.The CCHP system demonstrates a novel method of waste-to-energy(WtE),and the construction material from waste combustion ash can also support a new concept of waste-to-zero(WtZ).展开更多
文摘According to the dual needs of heat transfer and thermal insulation in incinerators,different parts of the incinerators are designed with refractories of different SiC contents.Water vapor is mainly concentrated in the zones of feeding,drying and combustion,and the main damage factors of SiC refractories include high temperature and hydration.The results of hydration resistance of typical SiC-containing refractories show that the higher the SiC content,the worse the hydration resistance.Si_(3)N_(4)-SiC refractories after oxidation treatment have good hydration corrosion resistance,which are appropriate for water-cooled wall of waste incinerators.
文摘Medical waste incinerators emit a wide range of pollutants like heavy metals, dioxins and furans. These include Pb (lead), Hg (mercury), Cd (cadmium), fine dust particles and PICs (products of incomplete combustion). The objective was to determine the elemental composition of medical waste residue after incineration in selected hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya. Bottom/fly ash samples were collected from the burners/incinerators in the selected health care facilities visited. The concentrations of the metals in the fly ash and bottom ash were determined using an XRF (X-ray fluorescence) spectrometer after acid digestion. The concentrations of heavy metals in the fly and bottom ash were as follows: Ti (titanium) 62-839 mg·kg^-1 and a mean of 202 mg·kg^-1 and 344 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and bottom ash, respectively. Ca (calcium) was 37,753-204,475 mg.kg1 with means of 27,132 mg.kg-1 in fly ash and 131,185 mgg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. Zn (zinc) was 297-6,605 mg·kg^-1 with means (2,307 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash, 4,359 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash), Pb (13-1,819 mg·kg^-1) had means of 280 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 291 mg-kg-1 in bottom ash. Cu (copper) (9.5-250 mg·kg^-1) had means of 83.47 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 98.8 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. The wide variations in results can be attributed to the different burners/incinerators used and different segregation methods of the medical waste. The results show that the reported levels of heavy metals could pose a health risk due to possible leaching after disposal.
文摘This paper provides analytical diagnosis of mechanical conditions of medical waste incinerators used for healthcare waste (HCW) treatment in Tanzania. The main features assessed were types of incinerators, features of incinerators and incinerator house. The assessment was conducted in three levels of health care facilities (HCFs), that is, Regional, district hospitals and health centers, existed in 26 regions of Tanzania. Questionnaires, interview and checklists were used as tools for data collection. It was observed that High-Tech incinerators are mainly used in regional hospitals, while district hospital and health center use both High-Tech and De-Montfort incinerators. About 60% of the incinerators have defective doors. More than 55% of incinerators are corroded in regional and district hospitals. The chimney, top plates and grate which are good condition are 55.6% and 60% in regional hospitals and health centers, respectively. The situation is below 50% in district hospitals. The leakage of the roof and loose structures were observed in district hospitals and health center to be more than 50% of the incinerator houses. On other hand, the performance of burners and incinerator housing cleanliness are generally good. It was concluded that the incinerators in the HCFs are in bad conditions, necessitating maintenance.
基金Project supported by the Hi-Tech Research and Development Program (863) of China (No. 2002AA644010) the National Tenth-Five Year Program of China (No. 2003BA604A-11-07).
文摘Basic properties of fly ash samples from different urban waste combustion facilities in China were analyzed using as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The leaching toxicity procedure and some factors influencing heavy metals distribution in fly ash were further investigated. Experimental results indicate that the fly ash structures are complex and its properties are variable. The results of XRF and SEM revealed that the major elements (〉10000 mg/kg, listed in decreasing order of abundance) in fly ash are O, Ca, Cl, Si, S, K, Na, Al, Fe and Zn. These elements account for 93% to 97%, and the content of Cl ranges from 6.93% to 29.18 %, while that of SiO2 does from 4.48% to 24.84%. The minor elements (1000 to 10000 mg/kg) include Cr, Cu and Pb. Primary heavy metals in fly ash include Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu etc. According to standard leaching test, heavy metal leaching levels vary from 0 to 163.10 mg/L (Pb) and from 0.049 to 164.90 mg/L (Zn), mostly exceeding the Chinese Identification Standard for hazardous wastes. Morphology of fly ash is irregular, with both amorphous structures and polycrystalline aggregates. Further research showed that heavy metals were volatilized at a high furnace temperature, condensed when cooling down during the post-furnace system and captured at air pollution control systems. Generally, heavy metals are mainly present in the forms of aerosol particulates or tiny particulates enriched on surfaces of fly ash particles. The properties of fly ash are greatly influenced by the treatment capacities of incinerators or the variation of waste retention time in chamber. Fly ash from combustors of larger capacities generally has higher contents of volatile component and higher leaching toxicity, while those of smaller capacities often produce fly ash containing higher levels of nonvolatile components and has lower toxicity. The content of heavy metals and leaching toxicity maybe have no convincing correlation, and high alkali content of CaO greatly contribute to leaching toxicity of heavy metal and acid neutralization capacity against acid rain.
基金supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation(No.Y5100192)
文摘Medical waste incinerator (MWI) fly ash is regarded as a highly toxic waste because it contains high concentrations of heavy metals anddioxins, including polychlorinateddibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinateddibenzofurans (PCDFs). Therefore fly ash from MWI must be appropriately treated before beingdischarged into the environment. A melting process based on adirect current thermal plasma torch has beendeveloped to convert MWI fly ash into harmless slag. The leaching characteristics of heavy metals in fly ash and vitrified slag were investigated using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, while the content of PCDD/Fs in the fly ashes and slags was measured using method 1613 of the US EPA. The experimental results show that thedecomposition rate of PCDD/Fs is over 99% in toxic equivalent quantity value and the leaching of heavy metals in the slag significantlydecreases after the plasma melting process. The produced slag has a compact and homogeneous microstructure withdensity of up to2.8 g/cm3 .
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (No. X206955)Zhejiang Medical and Health Research Fund (No. 2007A047)the Education Bureau of Zhejiang Prov-ince (No. N20080181), China
文摘Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected incinerators include two grate-type MSWIs: MSWI-A (350 t/d) and MSWI-B 050 t/d), and two fluidized bed MSWIs: MSWI-C (400 t/d) and MSWI-D (400 t/d), which are all equipped with semi-dry lime scrubber and bag filter except MSWI-D equipped with cyclone and wet scrubber (WS) as air pollutant control device (APCD). Results indicated that the emission concentration and the international toxic equivalents (I-TEQs) of the PCDD/Fs from the stacks were in the range of 1.210-10.273 ng/Nm^3 and 0.019-0.201 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3, respectively. They were greatly lower than the emission regulation standard of PCDD/Fs in China (1.0 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3). However, only the PCDD/Fs emission level from MSWI-C was below 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3. Although the homologue profiles were distinct, the contributions of the 2,3,7,8-subsituted congeners to the total I-TEQ were similar among all the investigated MSWIs. Two major 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, account for 47% and 9% (average values) of the total I-TEQ values, respectively. The correlation between PCDD/Fs levels and composition of flue gas was also discussed.
文摘Biomass ashes contain valuable elements for plant growth, but also often high amounts of harmful heavy metals which limit their reuse in forests and on grassland. For monitoring metal concentrations, a fast and reliable method allowing the quantitative determination even at trace levels is mandatory. Therefore an analytical method consisting of an acidic microwave assisted digestion prior to ICP-OES measurement was optimized. The elements of interest were AI, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, St, Ti, V, and Zn. A validation including the following parameters was performed for each analyte: limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery by spiking experiments, accuracy by analyzing a certified reference material, reproducibility (wihtin-24 hours, 4 and 7 days), linearity, and uncertainty of measurement. Two standards series were used for calibration - one with 1 M HNO3 and one with additionally 2 g/L Mg(NOD2 to investigate the elimination or decrease of possible matrix effects. Both calibration methods showed very good recoveries. The method optimized allows the determination of the relevant elements covered by the recommendation of the Austrian ministry for agriculture and represents thus an appropriate tool for monitoring the metal contents in biomass ashes.
文摘Steam oxidation resistance of Si3N4 and Si2N2O as well as SiAlON bonded SiC refractories at 900℃was tested according to ASTM-C863.Phase composition and microstructure before and after oxidation were analyzed by XRD and SEM.The results show that Si3N4 and Si2N2O bonded SiC refractory presents better steam oxidation resistance than SiAlON bonded SiC.For Si3N4 and Si2N2O bonded SiC,the oxidation speed is higher with more pronounced volume expansion in the early 100 h;afterwards,the volume expansion slows down gradually and starts to level off after 300 h.It is considered that the high silica glass phase formed during the oxidation covers Si3N4 and Si2N2O,and SiC as a protective layer and fills the open pores.But for SiAlON bonded SiC,the volume expands gradually and constantly with the increasing oxidation duration even after 500 h,due to the continuous formation of mullite transformed from oxidation products and Al2O3 in SiAlON.
文摘In Kuwait, there is growing concern over the disposal of wastes produced by hospitals since hospital wastes contain hazardous and infected wastes. All hospitals in Kuwait have adopted incineration as an alternative method to dispose of their wastes. Due to inefficient combustion of hospital incinerators, the Kuwaiti government decided to shut down all hospital incinerators, while the Sabah Incinerator (SAHI) and Shuaiba Incinerator (SUHI) were kept running. This study was initiated to focus on the determination of heavy metals in the bottom ashes produced by the SAHI and SUHI incinerators. Bottom ash was collected over a period of one year and heavy metals were determined. They were shown variation in their concentrations due to the initial waste composition and the operational procedures of the hospital incinerators.
文摘Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms and compounds which can infect and affect hospital patients, healthcare workers, the general public and environment. Therefore, management of health care waste requires safe handling, treatment and disposal procedures. While incineration reduces the volume and quantity of waste for final disposal, it leads to the production of fly and bottom ashes laden with toxic incomplete combustion products such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans and heavy metals. This exposes workers who handle and dispose the bottom ashes, hospital patients, the general public and environment. The goal of this study was to determine the total and individual levels of 16 most prevalent and toxic PAHs. Bottom ash samples were collected from incinerators in five county hospitals in Kenya, namely;Moi-Voi, Narok, Kitale, Makindu and Isiolo. Bottom ash samples were collected over a period of six months from the five hospitals. The samples were then sieved, homogenised and stored at 4°C in amber coloured glass containers. The PAHs were extracted using 30 ml of a hexane-acetone solvent (1:1) mixture by ultrasonication at room temperature (23°C) for 45 minutes. The PAHs were then analyzed with a GC-MS spectrophotometer model (Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 SE) connected to a computer work station was used for the PAHs analysis. The GC-MS was equipped with an SGE BPX5 GC capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm) for the separation of compounds. Helium was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 15.5 ml/minute and 14.5 psi. 1 μl of the sample was injected at 280°C, split mode (10:1). The oven programming was set for a total runtime of 40 minutes, which included: 100°C (2-minute hold);10°C /min rise to 200°C;7°C /min rise to 249°C;3°C /min rise to 300°C (2-minute hold). The interface temperature was set at 290°C. Analysis was done in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode and the peak areas of each of the PAHs were collected from the chromatograph and used for quantification of the 16 PAHs listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which included, BaA (benz[a]anthracene: 4 rings), BaP (benzo[a]pyrene: 5 rings), BbF (benzo [b]fluoranthene: 5 rings), BkF (benzo[k]fluoranthene: 5 rings), Chr (chrysene: 4 rings), DbA (dibenz[a,h]anthracene: 5 rings), InP (indeno[1,2,3 - cd] pyrene: 6 rings) and Acp (acenaphthene: 3 rings), Acpy (acenaphthylene: 3 rings), Ant (anthracene: 3 rings), BghiP (benzo[g,h,i]perylene: 6 rings), Flu (fluorene: 3 rings), FluA (fluoranthene: 4 rings), Nap (naphthalene: 2 rings), PhA (phenanthrene: 3 rings) and Pyr (pyrene: 4 rings). Ion source-interface temperature was set at 200°C - 250°C. Internal standards from Sigma Aldrich were used in the analysis and the acquired mass spectra data were then matched against the NIST 2014 library [1] [2]. The mean PAHs concentration in the bottom ashes of each hospital varied broadly from 0.001 mg/kg to 0.4845 mg/kg, and the mean total concentration levels of individual PAHs ranged from 0.0072 mg/kg to 1.171 mg/kg. Low molecular weight PAHs (Phenanthrene, Naphthalene and Fluorene) were predominant in all the hospital wastes whereas Kitale and Narok presented the lowest PAHs concentrations and the lowest number of individual PAHs. Moi/Voi recorded the highest total PAHs concentration at 1.3129 ± 0.0023 mg/kg from a total of 11 PAHs being detected from the bottom ash samples. Narok had only three PAHs being detected at very low concentrations of 0.0041 ± 0.00 mg/kg, 0.0076 ± 0.00 mg/kg and 0.012 ± 0.00 mg/kg for phenanthrene, anthracene and chrysene respectively. This study presents hospital incinerator bottom ash as containing detectable levels of both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAHs. Continued unprotected exposure of hospital workers (waste handlers) to the bottom ash PAHs could be hazardous to their health because of their cumulative effect. Preventive measures e.g. the use of Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be prioritised to minimise direct contact with the bottom ash. The study recommends an upgrade on incinerator technology for efficient combustion processes thus for better pollution control.
文摘As China has expanded capacity to handle urban waste and divert trash from landfills,overcapacity in waste-to-energy plants has left some regions scrabbling for garbage.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42077367 and 21677123).
文摘Foliar uptake of airborne metal(loid)s plays a crucial role in metal(loid)accumulation in plant organs and is influ-enced by the size and emission sources of aerosols.Given the high enrichment of toxic metal(loid)s in submicron-scale particulates(PM1),this study established a PM1 exposure system to examine airborne metal(loid)accu-mulation and foliar physiological responses in Oryza sativa L.The results showed that the concentrations of Cu,Zn,As,Pb,and Cd in the leaves and grains were influenced not only by the airborne metal(loid)levels but also by the specific nature of the PM1 particles.The quantitative model for PM1-associated Pb entry into leaf tissue indicated that foliar Pb accumulation was primarily driven by particle adhesion,followed by hydrophilic pene-tration and trans-stomatal liquid film migration,accounting for 87%–89%of the total accumulation.The strong hygroscopicity and high Pb activity of PM1 emitted from waste incineration(WI)increased the Pb absorption coefficient via the hydrophilic and liquid film migration pathway.In contrast,the high hydrophobicity of PM1 from coal burning(CB)led to greater retention of Pb on leaf surfaces.Both foliar reactive oxygen metabolism and photosynthesis indices were sensitive to air pollution.Foliar metal(loid)accumulation and airborne PM1 concentration accounted for the variance in physiological responses in rice leaves.Our results also indicated that Pb was the key element in PM1 emissions from both coal burning(CB)and waste incineration(WI)responsible for significant physiological changes in rice leaves.
基金We gratefully acknowledge support from the National 973 program(2015CB453100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21777172)+1 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB14020102)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(2016038).
文摘Rapid development has led to a tremendous increase in the volume of solid waste produced in rural China.The annual amount of solid waste produced from Chinese rural areas is approximately 110 million tons.Many small-scale solid waste incinerators have been built in Chinese rural areas.It was speculated that the emissions and potential risks of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs,commonly known as dioxins)and polychlorinated naphthalenes(PCNs)from these incinerators could be serious.A preliminary case investigation on PCDD/F and PCN emissions from a small-scale waste incinerator was performed.The stack gas samples were collected using auto isokinetic sampling techniques and PCDD/F and PCN congeners were identified and quantified by high resolution gas chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry.Concentrations and toxic equivalents of PCDD/Fs emitted from the small-scale waste incinerator were 153 ngm^-3 and 5.6 ng TEQ m^-3,respectively,which was much higher than the regulatory level for municipal solid waste incinerators permitted in China and the European Union Directive.PCNs have similar toxicological effects with PCDD/Fs,and the relative potency factors(RPFs)of some PCN congeners(dioxin-like PCNs)to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD)were previously proposed to evaluate the dioxin-like toxicity of PCNs.The mass concentrations of PCNs and dioxin-like PCNs from the small-scale solid incinerator were 2927 ngm^-3 and 1137 ngm^-3,much higher than that of dioxins.However,much less attention has been paid to the small-scale incinerators compared with municipal solid waste incinerators.Here,we proposed that there should be a growing need to focus on the emissions and potential risks of dioxins and dioxin-like pollutants from these small-scale waste incinerators in rural China.
文摘This comprehensive review synthesizes findings from the studies conducted for more than two decades to assess en-vironmental and human health impacts near Spain's first hazardous waste incinerator(HWI)located in Constantí(Tarra-gona,Catalonia).Through integrated analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans(PCDD/Fs)and metals across soil,vegetation,human tissues,and dietary matrices,the studies have shown:(1)PCDD/F concentrations decreased 75-96%in biological samples and dietary intake over 20 years,aligning with global emission reductions rather than HWI-4 operations;(2)metal trajectories showed arsenic intermittently exceeding carcinogenic thresholds in soils(1.1×10^(-4) risk index)and chromium accumulating in autopsy tissues(+16% in kidney),although without HWI-specific spatial gradi-ents;(3)systemic biomarkers revealed policy-driven declines—blood lead dropped 70% post-EU regulations,while mer-cury became undetectable in tissues post-2010.Health risk assessments confirmed that PCDD/F intake(0.122 pg WHO-TEQ/kg/day)remained still below WHO thresholds,with no attributable cancer risks for metals except legacy arsenic.The studies included in the program of surveillance show that PCDD/Fs and metals emissions by the HWI have meant a rather low contribution to population exposure to metals and PCDD/Fs compared to dietary and historical sources.How-ever,residual risks warrant attention.It mainly concerns chromium speciation and arsenic in soils,as well as the effects on vulnerable subpopulations and the synergistic effects among toxicants.Epidemiological studies are also required.
基金National Research Council of Thailand(NRCT)and the School of Renewable Energy and Maejo University for the project to produce and develop graduates in renewable energy for ASEAN countries for graduate students(2021).
文摘This work investigates a combined cooling,heating,and power(CCHP)generation system utilizing waste energy.A cascade-CCHP system is developed,consisting of a 23.65-kWe organic Rankine cycle(ORC),a 4.00-kW adsorption chiller,a 4.11-kW absorption chiller,a 15.99-kW drying room,and an incinerator of 150 kg/h.A net energy production of 36.08 kWh is achieved from a CCHP energy efficiency of 9.98%.The levelized cost for producing a total energy output of 2,020,592 kWh over a lifespan of 20 years is approximately 0.106 USD/kWh.The life cycle assessment(LCA)yields a single score of approximately 0.000151 Pt,mainly attributed to raw materials used in the construction process of 87.16%.In addition,the combustion ash is processed into concrete blocks measuring 39 cm×19 cm×7 cm,in accordance with the Industrial Product Standard(TIS)58-2533,with a water absorption value below 5%and a compressive strength exceeding 25 kg/cm2.The CCHP system demonstrates a novel method of waste-to-energy(WtE),and the construction material from waste combustion ash can also support a new concept of waste-to-zero(WtZ).