An ecotoxicological approach for hazard identification of energy ash

Evaluation of interactions between soil and coal fly ash leachates using column percolation tests

“…Likewise, Stiernstrom et al (2011) found that the toxic responses were rather consistent with chemical analyzes; while Rombke et al (2009) failed to establish a correlation between chemical analyses and ecotoxicological effects. Interestingly, Stiernstrom et al (2011) also indicated that major elements considered as non-toxic, such as K and Ca, contributed theoretically with the larger part of the calculated toxicities in all tested eluates. In this study, heavy metals contributed significantly to the overall measured toxicity of CFA.…”

“…Therefore, bioassays consist an attractive and promising alternative and can be performed supplementary to chemical determinations for the assessment of the environmental impact of waste. Consistency between chemical and toxicity analysis of fly ash leachates results has recently been identified (Stiernstrom et al, 2011;Darakas et al, 2013); however, discrepancies have also been confirmed (Tsiridis et al, 2012), indicating the significance of incorporating toxicity testing in fly ash environmental risk assessment schemes. However, methodologies using a single test microorganism should not be adopted for conclusive ecotoxicity evaluation.…”

Fish models for ecotoxicology

“…stage, somite formation, heart rate, eye development, pigmentation, tail lifting, hatching, behaviour etc. FEAs have been used to evaluate for instance musks [ 2 ], effluents waters from the oil production, pharmaceuticals [ 3 , 4 ] and waste products [ 5 ].…”

Risk of water pollution due to ash–sludge mixtures: column trials

“…With the challenge of assessing this risk of water pollution, there were performed laboratory column trials, as per Núñez et al (1997), aimed at characterizing nutrient and contaminant transport from ash-sludge mixtures. Column trials and leaching tests have been used in related studies (Chirenje et al 2002;Dalgren et al 2011;Pettersson et al 2008a, b;Stiernström et al 2011;Yeheyis et al 2009), even as a tool for characterizing nutrient and contaminant release from wood ash or ashes from co-combustion of sewage sludge to the soil and groundwater, but not from wood ash/sewage sludge mixtures in this way. Column trials were also performed with the aim of studying the E. coli survival in lixiviate from ash-sludge mixtures including limes rather than from ashsludge mixtures alone, which, as long as it is known, was not previously done.…”