Physicochemical Aspects Regarding the Sustainable Conversion of Carwash Slurry as Coverage Admixture for Landfills

Simona Elena Avram (), Lucian Barbu Tudoran, Gheorghe Borodi, Miuta Rafila Filip, Irina Ciotlaus and Ioan Petean ()
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Simona Elena Avram: Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103–105 Muncii Bd., 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Lucian Barbu Tudoran: Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 44 Gheorghe Bilaşcu Street, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Gheorghe Borodi: National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Miuta Rafila Filip: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Irina Ciotlaus: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ioan Petean: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, 11 Arany Janos Street, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-24

Abstract: Transport and vehicle traffic are closely connected with particulate matter (PM) pollution, inducing various fractions into the atmosphere, some of them forming significant deposits on the surface of the car. They are washed away during carwash-inducing slurries collecting the PM deposits, which are characteristic of a large area. Crystalline PM matter was investigated by XRD coupled with polarized optical microscopy (POM). Organic matters were investigated by Fourier-Transform Infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and gas chromatography, GC-MS. Their microstructure and elemental composition were investigated by SEM-EDX. The crystalline features contain mainly quartz, calcite, and clay (muscovite and kaolinite) particles having traces of goethite and lepidocrocite. Slurry particle size distribution was established by sieving on the following meshes: 63 µm, 125 µm, 250 µm, 500 µm, 1000 µm, 2000 µm, and 4000 µm. Coarse fractions of 250–4000 μm are dominated by quartz and calcite particles. The quartz and calcite amount decreases with particle size, while the muscovite and kaolinite amount increases in the finest fractions of 0–125 μm. Organic matter was evidenced, firstly, by FTIR spectroscopy, revealing mostly CH 2 ; C=O, and NH 4 bonds that are more intense for the fine particulate fractions. The organic deposits form mainly amorphous crusts associated with micro- and nano-plastic particles related to the phthalates and traces of the washing detergents. Atomic Force Microscopy revealed their size range between 60 and 90 nm and evidenced nanoparticles within samples. The nanofractions adhere to the bigger particles in humid environments, assuring their immobilization to reduce their hazardous potential. Carwash slurry blending with fertile soil ensures proper grass seed germination and growth at mixtures of up to 60% slurry, allowing its sustainable reconversion as soil for landfill and dump rehabilitation, preventing the PM emission hazard. Blended compositions containing more than 60% slurry have noxious effects on the grass seeds, inhibiting their germination.

Keywords: carwash slurry; particulate matters; nano-plastics; sustainable recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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