Mercury leaching from hazardous industrial wastes stabilized by sulfur polymer encapsulation

摘要

European Directive 2013/39/EU records mercury as a priority hazardous substance. Regulation n° 2008/ 1102/EC banned the exportation of mercury and required the safe storage of any remaining mercury compounds. The present work describes the encapsulation of three wastes containing combinations of HgS, HgSe, HgCl_2, HgO_2, Hg_3Se_2Cl_2, HgO and Hg~0, according to patent of Spanish National Research Council WO2011/029970A2. The materials obtained were subjected to leaching tests according to standards UNE-EN-12457 and CEN/TS 14405:2004. The results are compared with the criteria established in the Council Decision 2003/33/EC for the acceptance of waste at landfills. The Hg concentrations of all leach-ates were ＜0.01 mg Hg/kg for a liquid/solid ratio of 10 l/kg. All three encapsulated materials therefore meet the requirements for storage in inert waste landfills.