Environmental characterization of metal finishing sludges

摘要

Metal finishing industries generate effluents with high contents of heavy metal, inorganic anions and minor amounts of organic compounds, which must be treated by specific physicochemical processes leading to complex sludges. The characterization of these wastes is necessary to assess their environmental impact and to establish management. In this work two different methods of characterization, based on the Spanish Regulations and European Economic Community suggestions, have been applied to 32 wastes from 16 metal finishing facilities.