Effects of Co-Processing Sewage Sludge in the Cement Kiln on PAHs, Heavy Metals Emissions and the Surrounding Environment

Dong Lv, Tianle Zhu, Runwei Liu, Xinghua Li, Yuan Zhao, Ye Sun, Hongmei Wang, Fan Zhang and Qinglin Zhao
Additional contact information
Dong Lv: School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Tianle Zhu: School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Runwei Liu: Beijing Enterprises Holding Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100124, China
Xinghua Li: School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Yuan Zhao: School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Ye Sun: School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Hongmei Wang: Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Fan Zhang: Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Qinglin Zhao: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: To understand the effects of co-processing sewage sludge in the cement kiln on non-criterion pollutants emissions and its surrounding environment, the flue gas from a cement kiln stack, ambient air and soil from the background/downwind sites were collected in the cement plant. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals of the samples were analyzed. The results show that PAHs in flue gas mainly exist in the gas phase and the low molecular weight PAHs are the predominant congener. The co-processing sewage sludge results in the increase in PAHs and heavy metals emissions, especially high molecular weight PAHs and low-volatile heavy metals such as Cd and Pb in the particle phase, while it does not change their compositions and distribution patterns significantly. The concentrations and their distributions of the PAHs and heavy metals between the emissions and ambient air have a positive correlation and the co-processing sewage sludge results in the increase of PAHs and heavy metals concentrations in the ambient air. The PAHs concentration level and their distribution in soil are proportional to those in the particle phase of flue gas, and the co-processing sewage sludge can accelerate the accumulation of the PAHs and heavy metals in the surrounding soil, especially high/middle molecular weight PAHs and low-volatile heavy metals.

Keywords: cement plant; co-processing sewage sludge; PAHs; heavy metals; emission; surrounding environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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