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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

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Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    2019, Vol. 13 Issue (2) : 24    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-019-1110-y
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Reaction mechanism of arsenic capture by a calcium-based sorbent during the combustion of arsenic-contaminated biomass: A pilot-scale experience
Mei Lei1,2(), Ziping Dong1,2, Ying Jiang3, Philip Longhurst3, Xiaoming Wan1,2, Guangdong Zhou1
1. Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3. School of Water, Energy, and Environment, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, Cranfield, UK
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Abstract

Pilot-scale combustion is required to treat arsenic-enriched biomass in China.

CaO addition to arsenic-enriched biomass reduces arsenic emission.

CaO captures arsenic via chemical adsorption to form Ca3(AsO4)2.

Large quantities of contaminated biomass due to phytoremediation were disposed through combustion in low-income rural regions of China. This process provided a solution to reduce waste volume and disposal cost. Pilot-scale combustion trials were conducted for in site disposal at phytoremediation sites. The reaction mechanism of arsenic capture during pilot-scale combustion should be determined to control the arsenic emission in flue gas. This study investigated three Pteris vittata L. biomass with a disposal capacity of 600 kg/d and different arsenic concentrations from three sites in China. The arsenic concentration in flue gas was greater than that of the national standard in the trial with no emission control, and the arsenic concentration in biomass was 486 mg/kg. CaO addition notably reduced arsenic emission in flue gas, and absorption was efficient when CaO was mixed with biomass at 10% of the total weight. For the trial with 10% CaO addition, arsenic recovery from ash reached 76%, which is an ~8-fold increase compared with the control. Synchrotron radiation analysis confirmed that calcium arsenate is the dominant reaction product.
Keywords Arsenic contamination      Phytoremediation      Emission control      Calcium-based sorbent      Biomass disposal      Pilot-scale combustion     
Corresponding Author(s): Mei Lei   
Issue Date: 27 March 2019
 Cite this article:   
Mei Lei,Ziping Dong,Ying Jiang, et al. Reaction mechanism of arsenic capture by a calcium-based sorbent during the combustion of arsenic-contaminated biomass: A pilot-scale experience[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(2): 24.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-019-1110-y
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2019/V13/I2/24
Fig.1  Schematic diagram of the incineration equipment.
Sample ID CaO added in feedstock Atmospheric pressure (kPa) O2 content in flue gas (% by volume) Flue gas temp (°C) Flue gas flow rate (m3/min)
HN 0 99.4 14.4 46.6 16.9
GX 0 99.2 15.7 48.0 19.7
JY 0 99.4 18.2 47.7 23.5
JY 5% 98.5 17.0 47.7 32.1
JY 10% 98.5 17.0 47.0 32.9
JY 15% 98.7 18.6 46.3 38.2
Tab.1  Operational parameters for P. vittata combustion
Sample ID HN GX JY
Proximate analysis on fresh weight basis
Moisture content (%) 9.54 10.01 9.34
Ash content (%) 9.4 9.9 12.44
Volatile matter (%) 66.87 65.86 65.48
Fixed carbon (%) 14.19 14.23 12.74
CV (MJ/kg) 18.26 17.67 17.26
Elemental analysis (%) on DW basis
C 47.13 46.54 44.5
H 5.21 4.93 4.85
O 36.63 37.61 36.77
N 1.44 0.84 1.21
S 0.19 0.18 0.23
Tab.2  Proximate and elemental analyses of P. vittata
Element HN GX JY
As 22.1±9.2 98.4±21.4 486.0±41.0
P 1600±207 1100±834 1900±501
K 19900±2800 15500±2900 20200±6100
Na 62.4±12.4 55.5±20.6 99.9±28.0
Ca 2900±372 3500±970 4460±530
Mg 1560±660 10500±340 1870±130
Cu 11.2±0.2 8.8±0.5 17.0±2.0
Zn 23.9±2.4 25.2±12.3 45.0±8.7
Fe 101±6 50.4±7.6 274±70.4
Tab.3  Element concentrations (mg/kg on DW basis) of three P. vittata biomass samples
Fig.2  Thermogravimetric results of P. vittata samples: a) TG curves of the three biomass samples, b) DTG curves of the three biomass samples.
Biomass Degradation stage Temp (°C) Total weight loss (%) Maximum weight loss rate (%/°C) Temp @ maximum weight loss rate (°C)
JY 1 30–150 7.26 0.0008 102
2 >150–350 55.85 0.0103 279
3 >350–510 30.89 0.0030 371
4 >510–800 0.3 ? ?
HN 1 30–120 6.54 0.0008 102
2 >120–300 50.50 0.0138 274
3 >300–510 36.96 0.0020 428
4 >510–800 0.3 ? ?
GX 1 30–150 5.06 0.0009 99
2 >150–350 52.65 0.0103 283
3 >350–510 33.49 0.0025 396
4 >510–800 5.9 ? ?
Tab.4  Key thermal characteristics of HN, GX, and JY biomass samples
Sample ID Total As in biomass feedstock (g) As in Bottom ash (g) As in condensate
fly ash (g)		 As in dedusting
fly ash (g)		 Spray liquid (g) Total ash recovery (%) Total As recovered in solid residue (g) Eash (As recovery in ash) Eash-a Etotal (Total As recovery)
HN 1.66±0.69 0.39±0.032 0.18±0.020 0.023±0.01 0.0022±0.00004 52.5% 0.595 35.9% 68.38% 65.3%
GX 7.38±1.60 1.33±0.075 0.22±0.092 0.0014±0.0007 0.0019±0.00006 45.8% 1.553 21.0% 45.85% 27.8%
JY control 36.45±3.08 3.30±1.09 0.21±0.026 0.0015±0.00003 0.0021±0.0001 44.6% 3.514 9.6% 21.52% 12.0%
JY+ 5% CaO 34.63±2.92 10.62±0.81 5.91±1.18 0.0062±0.0030 0.0011±0.0001 86.52% 16.537 47.8% 55.25% 48.4%
JY+ 10% CaO 32.81±2.77 15.83±0.61 9.09±3.52 0.0025±0.0008 0.0014±0.0002 80.13% 24.924 76.0% 94.85% 76.3%
JY+ 15% CaO 30.98±2.61 14.64±1.68 6.67±0.33 0.0071±0.0048 0.0012±0.0002 81.07% 21.318 68.8% 84.86% 69.4%
Tab.5  As distribution in solid/gaseous residuals and total As recovery
Index Concentration
mg/m3		 Pollution control standard for hazardous waste incineration (GB18484-2001) mg/m3
Soot 9.86 100
Blackness Level-I Greenman Level-I
NOx 60.5–117 500
SO2 n.da 400
HCl 12.6–20 100
HF 0.58–0.75 9
Tab.6  Concentration of other common pollutants in flue gas
Fig.3  XAFS normalized As K-edge profiles in ash samples: a) Normalized As K-edge profiles for bottom ash samples and reference As compounds. b) Normalized As K-edge profiles for fly ash samples and reference As compounds. Note: Bottom and fly ashes A, B, and C are ash samples collected from combustion trials using JY biomass blended with 15%, 10%, and 5% CaO, respectively.
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