Chemistry Of Trace Elements In Fly Ash

The accumulation of large amounts of ash from fossil fuel combustion for electric power plant generation is becoming a major environmental concern in the United States. Furthermore, stringent environmental regulations mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency through the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as well as state and local environmental regulations may result in even more ash production with subsequent contact with the environment. The concentrations of trace elements in coal residues are extremely variable and depend on the composition of the original coal, conditions during combustion, the efficiency of emission control devices, storage and handling ofbyproducts, and climate. The research papers in this book were presented as a part of the Sixth International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements held at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, from July 29-August 2, 2001. The purpose of this corit'erence was to present current knowledge on the source, pathways, behavior and effects of trace elements in soils, waters, plants and animals. In addition, the book also includes invited research papers from scientists who have done significant research in the area of coal and coal combustion byproducts. All the research papers presented herein have been subjected to peer review.

Trace Elements in Coal and Coal Combustion Residues focuses on trace metal chemistry of coal and coal combustion residues. Special emphasis is placed on management of coal combustion residues in electric power plants and the influence of coal and associated residues on soils, plants, water, and animals. Topics covered include a brief summary of research sponsored by Electric Power Research Institute, environmental pollution from coal combustion plants in low-rainfall regions, accumulation of trace elements in freshwater mussels near a power plant, testing to evaluate fossil fuel wastes by chemicals and isotopes, transport of metals from coal piles and ash impoundments, leachability and toxicity of metals in fly ash, and plant absorption of chemicals from ash. The book will be a useful reference for environmental and reclamation consultants, environmental engineers, toxicologists, environmental regulatory personnel, officials with electric power utilities and water treatment plants, and soil scientists.

The research papers in this book present current knowledge of the sources, pathways, behavior, and effects of trace elements in soils, waters, plants, and animals. It is of interest to a variety of readers, including public health and environmental professionals, consultants, and academicians.

Happy he who could learn the causes of things (Virgil, Georgics 11) There is clearly a place for a book on the environmental aspects of trace elements in coal, especially with the increasing use of coal for power production. Our aim is to provide relevant background information and to update the situation regarding trace elements during beneficiation, combustion, .atmospheric deposition, leaching from wastes anti reclamation. The outcome is a balanced account of the overall situation. The initial chapter gives the rationale behind the planning of the book and puts the topics into the context of trace elements in the environment, while the final chapter summarises the subject matter and conclusions of each chapter. The choice of authors was based on their specialised knowledge. Although every effort has been made to ensure uniformity in layout, use of units, references and the like, authors have been given some latitude in expression and their styles have not been curbed. This book is intended primarily for coal scientists and technologists involved in environmental aspects of trace elements during the mining of coal, its beneficiation and usage, especially for power generation, and for regulatory bodies. It is considered to be suitable for relevant postgraduate courses. Just as it has been said that one of Bruckner's symphonies has enough melodies for a Beethoven to have written ten symphonies, so this book has several chapters that could be themes for other books.

I intend to fill, with this book, a need that has long been felt by students and professionals in many areas of agricultural, biological, natural, and environmental sciences-the need for a comprehensive reference book on many important aspects of trace elements in the "land" environment. This book is different from other books on trace elements (also commonly referred to as heavy metals) in that each chapter focuses on a particular element, which in tum is discussed in terms of its importance in our economy, its natural occurrence, its fate and behavior in the soil-plant system, its requirement by and detriment to plants, its health limits in drinking water and food, and its origin in the environment. Because of long distance transport to pristine areas of cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc in relatively large quantities, these elements have an extra section on natural ecosystems. A blend of pictorial and tabular data are provided to enhance understanding of the relevant information being conveyed. Since individual chapters are independent of one another, they are arranged alphabetically. However, readers with weak backgrounds in soil science are advised to start with the chapter on zinc, since soil terminology is discussed in more detail here. Sections on sorption, forms and speciation, complexation, and transformations become more technical as soil physical-(bio )chemical phenomena are discussed. The less important "environmental" trace elements are discussed together in the "Other Trace Elements" chapter.

New analytical techniques have enhanced current understanding of the behavior of trace and ultratrace elements in the biogeochemical cycling, chemical speciation, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and as applied to the phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Addressing worldwide regulatory, scientific, and environmental issues, Trace Elements in th

The present book deals with various, very significant topics of coal fly ash beneficiation, such as treatment of acid mine drainage with coal fly ash, toxic metal adsorption using coal fly ash, recovery of metals from coal fly ash and phytoreclamation of abandoned acid mine drainage site after treatment with coal fly ash, the status of research in coal fly ash utilization and applications and some other related topics in this growing and increasingly important research area. Overall, coal fly ash beneficiation has come to assume an important role in most areas of waste management research today. Continued growth and emphasis on scientific research is expected in all areas of waste management and conversion of waste to wealth technologies.