Shogo Sakita

Enhanced heavy metal immobilization in soil by grinding with addition of nanometallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture

This study investigated the use of a nanometallic Ca and CaO dispersion mixture for the immobilization of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr and Pb) in contaminated soil. Simple grinding achieved 85-90% heavy metal immobilization, but it can be enhanced further to 98-100% by addition of a nanometallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture produced by grinding. Observations using SEM-EDS elemental maps and semi-quantitative analysis showed that the amounts of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb measurable on the soil particle surface decrease after nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment. The leachable heavy metal concentrations were reduced after nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment to concentrations lower than the Japan soil elution standard regulatory threshold: <0.01 mg L(-1) for As, Cd, and Pb; and 0.05 mg L(-1) for Cr. Effects of soil moisture and pH on heavy metal immobilization were not strongly influenced. The most probable mechanisms for the enhancement of heavy metal immobilization capacity with nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment might be due to adsorption and entrapment of heavy metals into newly formed aggregates, thereby prompting aggregation of soil particles and enclosure/binding with Ca/CaO-associated immobile salts. Results suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO mixture is suitable for use in immobilization of heavy-metal-contaminated soil under normal moisture conditions.

Preferential removal and immobilization of stable and radioactive cesium in contaminated fly ash with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension

In this work, the capability of nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension in removing and/or immobilizing stable ((133)Cs) and radioactive cesium species ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in contaminated fly ash was investigated. After a first methanol and second water washing yielded only 45% of (133)Cs removal. While, after a first methanol washing, the second solvent with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension yielded simultaneous enhanced removal and immobilization about 99% of (133)Cs. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the mass percent of detectable (133)Cs on the fly ash surface recorded a 100% decrease. When real radioactive cesium contaminated fly ash (containing an initial 14,040Bqkg(-1)(134)Cs and (137)Cs cumulated concentration) obtained from burning wastes from Fukushima were reduced to 3583Bqkg(-1) after treatment with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension. Elution test conducted on the treated fly ash gave 100BqL(-1) total (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in eluted solution. Furthermore, both ash content and eluted solution concentrations of (134)Cs and (137)Cs were much lower than the Japanese Ministry of the Environment regulatory limit of 8000Bqkg(-1) and 150BqL(-1) respectively. The results of this study suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension is a highly potential amendment for the remediation of radioactive cesium-contaminated fly ash.

Sediment Oxygen Demand of a Leachate Pond at an Offshore Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site 2 Years after the Site Was Closed

Various water quality parameters of a leachate pond at an offshore municipal solid waste disposal site were monitored. The pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and water temperature at the bottom of the leachate pond were measured during Sep. (the 1st period) and Nov.-Dec. (the 2nd period) of 2011. The results suggested that the stratification of water temperature in the pond had gradually broken down due to convection occurring between the end of the 1st period and the 2nd period. The pH was almost constant at 10 - 11 during the 1st period and was approximately 11.5 during the 2nd period. The DO was almost zero during both periods. An anaerobic batch experiment with sampled sediment was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of material leaching from the sediment. DO decreased under all experimental conditions. With respect to oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and total sulfide in addition to DO, the condition most closely mimicking that of the site became the most anaerobic. The average sediment oxygen demand, SODave, was calculated using a brief numerical model based on batch experiment data. The SODave was 1114.7 mg/m2/d, indicating that at least 434 g/d of oxygen must be supplied to the leachate pond to maintain the DO.