Research Initiation Award: Enhanced Adsorption of Heavy Metals in Hazardous Waste Incinerator Effluent Through the Addition of Inorganic Particles

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In the post-flame gases of an incinerator metal vapors begin to condense as the temperature drops. The more volatile meals tend to be concentrated in smaller particles or aerosols which can also be the most difficult to control. The objective of the proposed research is to study the morphology of metal emissions in the effluent of a research incinerator and determine if controlled seeding of the flow with inorganic particles of a specific size and composition can accelerate nucleation and condensation of lead, cadmium, and mercury onto these particles. The particles will be of size that can be removed using current effluent treatment technologies. In this experimental study, liquids containing metals will be incinerated. Inorganic particles will be added to the post- flame combustion gases downstream of the flame zone. A portion of the particulates will then be trapped further downstream and the metals concentrations measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The adsorption characteristics of each metal onto the particulates will be determined as a function of the particle composition, the size of the injected particles, and the loading. Public and governmental concern is increasing over emissions of heavy metals from municipal and hazardous waste incinerators. The rates of metal recovery found in this research program may point to a promising commercial recovery technique.