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Batch Leaching Studies of Rundle Oil Shale
Author(s) -
Jones David R.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1990.00472425001900030010x
Subject(s) - leachate , oil shale , leaching (pedology) , pyrite , environmental chemistry , chemistry , slurry , waste management , environmental science , pulp and paper industry , mineralogy , environmental engineering , soil science , engineering , soil water
The leaching of Fe, Mn, Al, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cn, As, and Se from samples of raw and retorted Kerosene Creek seam oil shale and Telegraph Creek seam claystone from the Rundle oil shale deposit, Australia, was studied over the pH range 2 to 9.5. Low pH values were used to simulate the effects of possible acidification that might occur by oxidation of pyrite contained in the solids. The variation in leachate composition with pH highlighted the shortcomings of any batch test that seeks to categorize the behavior of a waste material solely on the basis of extraction at a single pH value. In this context, the results provided by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) toxicity and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) leach tests were compared. The RCRA test would not have identified As as being a potential problem in leachate from the retorted shale because, at pH 5, this element (in the form of arsenate) is strongly adsorbed to the shale matrix. The natural pH of a slurry of this waste is, however, greater than 9. Under these conditions, As is the trace element present in the highest concentrations in the leachate.