A one-month monitoring of electrostatic precipitator fly ashes from municipal solid waste incinerator

Authors : A. De Boom, M. Degrez, S. Staquet, C. Pierre and M. De Lanève

Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management ; Crete ; October 2010

The question of the composition variability frequently arises when evocating the treatment or the eventual use of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) residues. This study aims to estimate this assumed variability by following the composition of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) fly ashes from MSWI day by day during one month. The samples composition is determined by X-ray fluorescence and their mineralogy is analysed by X-ray diffraction. The results show that the concentration values of MSWI ESP fly ash elements remain in the range of 2 σ (standard deviation) around the average. An ANOVA test also indicates that there is no significant effect of the time-period on the ESP fly ash composition. The results suggest thus a low variability of the ESP fly ash composition over a one-month period. A one-year campaign began in March 2010 to investigate the MSWI ESP fly ash composition over a longer period. A low variability of the MSWI ESP fly ash composition would constitute an incentive for the use of such residues in, for instance, construction materials.