Heavy Metal Analysis and Stabilization of Medical Waste Incineration Ash

Abstract

Incineration processes are widely used for the treatment of medical wastes all over the world. In Turkey, there are several incineration plants for medical wastes in some big cities. In Istanbul, there is an incineration plant that treats 13,000 tons of medical wastes annually. Incineration of medical waste itself is not enough to remove all the contaminants. From the literatural review, it is clear that sometimes the remaining ash may still contain genotoxic threats as well as metals and heavy metal elements. The presence of these heavy metals has been examined in the bottom ash of the medical waste incineration plant in Istanbul. The aim of this research is to reduce the toxic effects of the remaining heavy metal contamination from the bottom ash by a stabilization process. Perlite, zeolite and bentonite were used as the stabilizing material. Different concentrations were tested. Perlite was not successful for most of the elements. On the other hand, zeolite and bentonite gave quite good solutions for most of the heavy metal removals. The optimum concentration was found after a series of tests, in order to decrease or remove the heavy metal contamination.