EAP - Oil Shale publications

PUBLISHED
SINCE 1984

Oil Shale

ISSN 1736-7492 (Electronic)
ISSN 0208-189X (Print)

Impact Factor (2022): 1.9

HAZARDOUS TOXIC ELEMENTS MOBILITY IN BURNED OIL SHALE ASH, AND ATTEMPTS TO ATTAIN SHORT- AND LONG-TERM SOLIDIFICATION; pp. 226–249

PDF | https://doi.org/10.3176/oil.2019.2S.12

Authors

Tayel El-Hasan, NIZAR ABU-JABER, NAFETH ABDELHADI

Abstract

Jordan has huge organic-rich oil shale resources. The exploitation of this resource for generating electrical power by direct combustion is eminent. This process will produce huge ash tailings that contain high concentrations of potentially leachable toxic elements (e.g. Cr⁺⁶, V⁺⁵, As⁺³, Cd⁺²). This ash is friable and eventually will interact with rainwater, forming a leachate rich in toxic elements that might reach soil, plants and surface and groundwater resources. Therefore, as a preventive measure, the current study analyzed the mobility of toxic elements in the ash of burned oil shale (BOS), in particular Cr⁺⁶, and aimed to fix them through mixing with other natural locally available materials such as phosphogypsum (PG) and red soil (RS). In addition, a study of the changes in mineralogy, petrography and engineering properties with time during a period of up to 12 months was conducted. The ageing results revealed that the ash + RS mixtures showed a lower leachability of toxic elements in the pH range of 5–9 in comparison with other mixtures. Besides, the said mixtures exhibited an increase in the values of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and decrease in those of permeability (PE) unlike other mixtures. Moreover, ettringite and portlandite phases increasingly appeared in these mixtures with time, which explains the increase of UCS. The USC of the ash alone mixture was the second lowest and that of the ash + PG mixture the lowest. Therefore, mixing the produced ash with RS (3:1 ratio) under water saturation conditions would afford the best long-term solidification of harmful toxic elements.

References

1. Hamarneh, Y. Oil Shale Resources in Jordan. NRA, Amman, Jordan, 1998, 98 pp.

2. El-Hasan, T. Geochemistry of the redox-sensitive trace elements and its implication on the mode of formation of the Upper Cretaceous oil shale, Central Jordan. Neues Jb. Miner. Abh., 2008, 249(3), 333‒344.
https://doi.org/10.1127/0077-7749/2008/0249-0333

3. Coveney, R. M., Nansheng Jr, C. Ni-Mo-PGE-Au-rich ores in Chinese black shales and speculations on possible analogues in the United States. Miner. Deposita, 1991, 26(2), 83–88.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00195253

4. Ibrahim, K. M., Jaber, J. O. Geochemistry and environmental impacts of retorted oil shale from Jordan. Environ. Geol., 2007, 52(5), 979–984.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0540-6

5. Algeo, T. J., Maynard, J. B. Trace-element behavior and redox facies in core shales of Upper Pennsylvanian Kansas-type cyclothems. Chem. Geol., 2004, 206(3–4), 289–318.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2003.12.009

6. Al-Ghouti, M. A., Al-Degs, Y. S., Ghrair, A., Khoury, H., Ziedan‏, M. Extraction and separation of vanadium and nickel from fly ash produced in heavy fuel power plants. Chem. Eng. J., 2011, 173(1), 191–197.‏
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2011.07.080

7. El-Hasan, T. Characteristics and environmental risks of the oil shale ashes produced by aerobic combustion and anaerobic pyrolysis processes. Oil Shale, 2018, 35(1), 70–83.
https://doi.org/10.3176/oil.2018.1.05

8. Kapoor, S., Christian, R. A. Transport of toxic elements through leaching in and around ash disposal sites. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 2016, 7(1), 65–68.
https://doi.org/10.7763/IJESD.2016.V7.742

9. El-Hasan, T., Szczerba, W., Buzanich, G., Radtke, M., Riesemeier, H., Kersten, M. Cr(VI)/Cr(III) and As(V)/As(III) ratio assessments in Jordanian spent oil shale produced by aerobic combustion and anaerobic pyrolysis. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45(22), 9799–9805.
https://doi.org/10.1021/es200695e

10. Lucke, B. Landscape Transformations in the Context of Soil Development, Land Use, and Climate. A Comparison of Marginal Areas in Jordan, Mexico, and Germany. Borntraeger Science Publishers, Stuttgart, Germany, 2017.

11. Khresat, S., Taimeh, A. Properties and characterization of vertisols developed on limestone in a semi-arid environment. J. Arid Environ., 1998, 40(3), 235–244.
https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.1998.0445

12. Hou, C., Huo, D. Performance and application of phosphogypsum. Chemistry Industry and Mine Technology, 1997, 26(2), 50–52 (in Chinese).

13. Al-Hwaiti, M. S., Ranville, J. F., Ross, P. E. Bioavailability and mobility of trace metals in phosphogypsum from Aqaba and Eshidiya, Jordan. Geochemistry, 2010, 70(3), 283–291.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemer.2010.03.001

14. Liu, L., Zhang, Y., Tan, K. Cementitious binder of phosphogypsum and other materials. Adv. Cem. Res., 2015, 27(10), 567–570.
https://doi.org/10.1680/adcr.14.00100

15. Alali, J., Abu Salah, A., Yasin, S., Al Omari, W. Mineral Status and Future Opportunity: OIL SHALE. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Unpublished report, 2015, 26.

16. Fregert, S., Gruvberger, B. Factors decreasing the content of water-soluble chromate in cement. Acta Derm-Venerol,, 1973, 53(4), 267–270.

17. Leisinger, S. M., Lothenbach, B., Le Saout, G., Kägi, R., Wehrli, B., Johnson, C. A. Solid solutions between CrO₄- and SO₄-ettringite Ca₆(Al(OH)₆)₂[(CrO₄)_x(SO₄)_1-x]₃·26 H₂O. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2010, 44(23), 8983–8988.
https://doi.org/10.1021/es100554v

18. Zhang, M. Incorporation of Oxyanionic B, Cr, Mo and Se into Hydrocalumite and Ettringite: Application to Cementitious Systems. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2000.

19. Palmer, C. D. Precipitates in a Cr(VI)-contaminated concrete. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2000, 34(19), 4185–4192.
https://doi.org/10.1021/es991089f

20. Abdelhadi, N., Abdelhadi, M., El-Hasan, T. The characteristics of cement mortars utilizes the untreated phosphogypsum wastes generated from fertilizer plant, Aqaba-Jordan. Jordan Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences (JJEES), 2014, 6(2), 61–66.

21. Abdelhadi, M., Abdelhadi, N., El-Hasan, T. Optimization of phosphogypsum by-production using orthophosphoric acid as leaching solvent with different temperatures and leaching time periods. Earth Science Research, 2018, 7(2), 28–41.
https://doi.org/10.5539/esr.v7n2p28

22. Rabba, I. A. M. M. Geochemistry, mineralogy and petrography of Al-Hisa phosphate rocks and its upgraded ores. Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 2016, 6(2), 26–33.

23. Al-Hwaiti, M. S., Brumsack, H. J., Schnetger, B. Suitability assessment of phosphate mine waste water for agricultural irrigation: an example from Eshidiya Mines, South Jordan. Environmental Earth Sciences, 2016, 75(3), Article 276.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4850-4

24. Mymrin, V. A., Alekseev, K. P., Nagalli, A., Catai, R. E., Romano, C. A. Hazardous phosphor-gypsum chemical waste as a principal component in environmentally friendly construction materials, J. Environ. Chem. Eng., 2015, 3(4, Part A), 2611–2618.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.02.027

25. Dames, A., Moore, R. Environmental Baseline Studies, Red Dog Project. Water Quality Report, Chapter 3, prepared by L. A. Peterson and Associates, Inc., for the Red Dog Mine Project, Cominco, Alaska, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, 1983.

26. USBLM (United States. Bureau of Land Management). Rio Puerco Resource Area. Rio Puerco Resource Management Draft Plan & Environmental Impact Statement. Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque District, Rio Puerco Field Office, 2012, 327.

27. Wang, S., Vipulanandan, C. Solidification/stabilization of Cr(VI) with cement: Leachability and XRD analyses. Cement Concrete Res., 2000, 30(3), 385–389.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(99)00265-3

28. Evans, N. D. M. Binding mechanisms of radionuclides to cement. Cement Concrete Res., 2008, 38(4), 543–553.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.11.004

29. Moulin, I., Rose, J., Stone, W., Bottero, J.-Y., Mosnier, F., Haehnel, C. Lead, zinc and chromium (III) and (VI) speciation in hydrated cement phases. In: Waste Management Series (Woolley, G. R., Goumans, J. J. J. M., Wainwright, P. J., eds.). Elsevier, New York, 2000, 269–280.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0713-2743(00)80039-2

30. Chromium (Langard, S., Costa, M., eds.). Academic Press, Inc., New York, 2007.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012369413-3/50079-3

31. Van der Sloot, H. A. Comparison of the characteristic leaching behavior of cements using standard (EN 196-1) cement mortar and an assessment of their long-term environmental behavior in construction products during service life and recycling. Cement Concrete Res., 2000, 30(7), 1079–1096.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00287-8

32. Park, J.-Y., Kang, W.-H., Hwang, I. Hexavalent chromium uptake and release in cement pastes. Environ. Eng. Sci., 2006, 23(1), 133–140.
https://doi.org/10.1089/ees.2006.23.133

33. Adamson, J., Irha, N., Adamson, K., Steinnes, E., Kirso, U. Effect of oil shale ash application on leaching behaviour of arable soils: An experimental study. Oil Shale, 2010, 27(3), 250–257.
https://doi.org/10.3176/oil.2010.3.06

34. Cornelis, G., Johnson, C. A., Van Gerven, T., Vandecasteele, C. Leaching mechanisms of oxyanionic metalloid and metal species in alkaline solid wastes: A review. Appl. Geochem., 2008, 23(5), 955–976.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.02.001

35. Nishikawa, T., Suzuki, K., Ito, S., Sato, K., Takebe, T. Decomposition of synthesized ettringite by carbonation. Cement Concrete Res., 1992, 22(1), 6–14.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8846(92)90130-N

36. Myneni, S. C. B., Traina, S. J., Logan, T. J. Ettringite solubility and geochemistry of the Ca(OH)₂–Al₂(SO₄)₃–H₂O system at 1 atm pressure and 298 K. Chem. Geol., 1998, 148(1–2), 1–19.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2541(97)00128-9

37. Liira, M., Kirsimäe, K., Kuusik, R., Mõtlep, R. Transformation of calcareous oil-shale circulating fluidized-bed combustion boiler ashes under wet conditions. Fuel, 2009, 88(4), 712–718.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2008.08.012

Back to Issue