82 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE

Acknowledgment
K. Jackson, I J. Benedik, I and L. Jackson I
The authors would like to acknowledge the American Electric Power Service
Corporation for support of this work and for permission to publish this
account.

References Comparison of Three Solid Waste

II] Thompson. D. W .• "Elutriate Test Evaluation of Chemically Stabilized Waste Materials:'
EPA-600/2-79-154. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. MERL. Cincinnati, Ohio. July
Batch Leach Testing Methods and a
1979.
[2] Bause, D. E. and McGregor. K. T .• "Comparison of Four Leachate Generation Procedures
Column Leach Test Method
for Solid Waste Characterization in Environmental Assessment Programs," EPA~
60017-80-118. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. IERL. Research Triangle Park. N.C..
May 1980.
[J] Ham. R K., Anderson, M. A., Stegmann, R., and Stanforth, R .. "Background Study on
the Development of a Standard Leaching Test," EPA-600/2-79-109, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. Cincinnati, Ohio, May 1979.
[4] Ham, R K., Anderson, M. A., Stegmann, R., and Stanforth, R, "Comparison of Three
REFERENCE: Jackson, K., Benedik, 1., and Jackson, L., "Comparison of Three Solid
Waste Leaching Tests," EPA-600!2-79-071, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Wast. Batch Leach Testing Methods and a Column Leach Test Method," Hazardous
MERL, Cincinnati, Ohio, July 1979. Solid Waste Testing: First Conference, ASTM STP 760, R A. Conway and B_ C. Malloy,
[5] Lowenbach, W., "Compilation and Evaluation of Leaching Test Methods," EPA-
Eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, 1981, pp. 83-98.
600/2-78-095, U.S_ Environmental Protection Agency, MERL, Cincinnati, Ohio, May 1978.
[6] Gulledge, W. P. and Webster, W. c., "ASTM Leachate Test Evaluation Program," EPRI
FP-1183, RP 1260-6, Electric Power Research Institute, Sept. 1979. ABSTRACT: As a participant in the American Society for Testing and Materials
[7] Weaver, V. E. and Jackson, L. P., "Analysis of Selected Trace Metals in Leachate from (ASTM) program evaluating U_S. Environmental Protection Agenc), (EPA) and ASTM
Selected Fossil Energy Materials." U.S. Department of Energy and American Society for solid waste extraction procedures, the Laramie Energy Technology Center of the U.S.
Testing Materials. Jan. 1980. Department of Energy has been conducting a study comparing various aspects of batch
[8J California Assessment Manual/or Hazardous Wastes. California Department of Health Ser- versus column extraction techniques. This study evaluates three batch extraction meth·
vices, Hazardous Materials Management Section, Sacramento, Calif., Aug. 1979. ods and compares these results with results obtained from column leach tests.
[9] Annual Book oj ASTM Standards, Part 31, American Society for Testing and Materials. A standard fly ash material was leached using three types of mixers, five liquid-to-solid
1979. ratios, and leach times ranging from 1 h to 96 h. The leachates were analyzed using an
[10) "Hazardous Waste Guidelines and Regulations," proposed by the U. S. Environmental Pro- atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace for the following
tection Agency, Federal Register, Part IV, Dec. 18, 1978. metals: selenium, chromium, arsenic, lead, and cadmium. The pH was also determined
II il Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 14th ed., American on all the leachate samples.
Public Health Association, New York, N.Y., 1975. The data show that the batch test can be improved by increasing the Iiquid-to-solid
[12] "Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes," EPA-SOO/4-79-020, U.S. En- ratio. The data also indicate that the leaching time can be decreased. Comparison of the
vironmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio,_ March 1979. data from the batch and column leach tests indicates that a correlation may exist.
[IJ] MHS-IO Hydride System Manual, Perkin-Elmer Corp., Norwalk, Connecticut, Feb. 1979.
[14] Lee, G. F_ and Plumb, R. H., "Literature Review on Research Study for the Development of KEY WORDS: leaching, trace metals, extraction, leachate, batch, column, EPA,
Dredged Material Disposal Criteria," Contract Report D- 74-1, Office of Dredged Material ASTM, NBS, mixer, hazardous solid waste
Research, U.S. Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss., 1974.
[IS] Weeter, D. W. and Niece, J. E., Proceedings, 29th Industrial Waste Conference, Purdue
University, Lafayette, Ind .. May 1974, p. 420. For the past two years. the Laramie Energy Technology Center has worked
with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to develop a
~tandard leaching test for solid wastes. During those two years, each time the
committee on solid wastes met, many of the same problems concerning the
proposed method would surface, Four of those issues were: defining the opti-
mum liquid-to-solid ratio; whether a 48 h leach time is necessary; whether
the platform shaker does an adequate job of mixing; and finally, how the
batch test relates to "real world" conditions.

I Ph~sical science technician, U.S. Department of Energy, Laramie Energy Technology Center,
laramIe, Wyo. 82071.

83
84 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE
JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 85

At the ASTM 034 summer meeting in 1980, the batch leach testing task
group decided to conduct a mini-round robin study to test some improve-
ments which had been suggested for ASTM Method A. To conduct this
study, it was necessary to answer the first three problems. A research project
was set up to try to provide solutions to all four problems. It was not the in-
tent or purpose of this project to find the mechanism or the chemical pro-
cesses by which the leaching is accomplished.
From past work it was determined that it would be necessary to investigate
several variables (such as various liquid-to-solid ratios, multiple leach times,
and three types of mixers) in order to answer the first three problems. In an
attempt to solve the fourth problem, the batch test was compared with a col-
umn test. This column test was chosen to try to simulate real world condi-
tions. an effluent from a fly ash disposal site. The fly ash chosen for this pro-
gram was the standard fly ash that we have used in past studies,2 The batch
test procedures employed were all similar in nature to the ASTM Proposed
Methods for Leaching of Waste Materials, Method A.J The column test used
is one that U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researchers have
used for a number of years. 4

Experimental
The experimental apparatus used for the batch studies is shown in Figs.
and 2. Figure 1 shows both the platform shaker and the roller mill. The plat-
form shaker has been adapted to handle up to 12 extraction containers, and
was operated at 70 cpm. Herein, it is referred to as the ASTM mixer. Figure
2 shows the mixer that was designed and built by the National Bureau of
Standards (NBS). This is a single-speed mixer which turns at 29 rpm. Figure
3 shows the roller mill, which was operated at both 10 and 20 rpm. The batch
tests were conducted using the three mixers, varying the liquid-to-solid ratios
from 4/1 to 80/1 and the leach time from 1 h to 96 h (Table 1). The extrac-
tions were carried out using distilled water as the leaching fluid. The volume
of liquid was held constant at 1400 ml and the solids weight was varied to ob-
tain the different liquid-to-solid ratios. At the end of the stated leach times
the entire sample was placed in a pressure filtration apparatus equipped with
a 0.45 ILm fiber glass filter, and filtered using a pressure of 275 Pa (40 psi).
The pH of the sample was determined and then adjusted to a pH of 2.0 using
distilled nitric acid (HNO J).
Figure 4 shows the experimental apparatus used for the column studies.
The column itself is a Corning No. 36060 Pyrex funnel equipped with a frit-
ted glass disk. Distilled water was pumped at a constant rate by a metering
2Webster, W. c., Jackson, K., and Paule. R. C., "Analysis of Selected Trace Metals in leach-
ate from Reference Fly Ash." Final Report for ASTM 034 Solid Waste Committee. 1980. pp. 4-8.
) 1980 AmlUal Book of ASTM Standards. Part 31, Water, pp. 1369-1372.
C. G. and Shew. D. c., lournal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 4, 1975, pp. 198-202.
4 Enfield,
FIG. 1-ASTM mixer and rolIer mill.
pe~staltic pump to the top of a vertical fly ash column. To approximate a
unifon:n flo,:, the water was first dripped on a fiber glass filter (grade 934
~H) dl,spersmg the flow onto 2.5-mm (J1J2-in,)-diameter glass beads, further
dtspersmg the flo,:. After passing through the glass beads, the flow passed
through another fIber glass fil~er which was in contact with the 1200 g of fly
ash. The fly. ~sh column remamed unsaturated during the study. The unsat-
~rated con.dltton ~f the fly ash was attained by maintaining a constant nega-
ltve potentIal, equIvalent to approximately 100 cm (39.37 in.) of water, at the
bottom of a porous glass plate (Corning F porosity). The inside diameter of
the Buchner-type funnel used in these experiments was 12.7 em (5 in.) and
the total depth of the fly ash column was 7.6 cm (3 in.).
The eff\u~nt from the columns was then pumped to a sample container.
The only vanable to be used for these tests was the application rate. The rates
selected for this study were the equivalent of 62.7 cm/hectare (lO-in. of rain-
fall/year/acre); 125 em/hectare (20-in.!year/aere); 251 em/hectare (40-in./
year/acre); 376 cm/hectare (60-in./year/acre); 439 em/hectare (70-in.!
year/acre); and S64 cm/hectare (90-in./year/acre). Due to equipment fail-
ures, we were unable to obtain the two lower values. The actual rates obtained
were 45, 55, 61, and X9 in.lyear/acre. The columns were sampled for a 60
~ HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE
FIG. 2-NBS mixer.
day period and analyzed for the following parameters: pH, selenium, chro-
mium, arsenic, lead, and cadmium. All of the metal analyses were performed
using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite fur-
nace. The metals analyses were carried out using the standard addition tech-
nique and all determinations were done in duplicate. s In addition to these
quality-control procedures, every fourth sample was analyzed in duplicate
and at different dilution ratios.
Results and Discussion
Two of the main considerations used to evaluate the batch tests were in-
ternal consistency of the data and reproducibility of the results.
Throughout the batch tests, the pH of the leachates varied from 9.2 to 10.4
(Table 2). The selenium results are shown in Table 3. The results show that
after 1 h of leaching, time does not play an important role. As the Iiquid-to-
solid ratio increases, the amount of selenium leached per gram of sample also
increases. The same general trends were noted for both the NBS and roller
sU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Methods for Chemical Analysis for Water and
Waste," March 1979.
JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 87
FIG. J-Experimenta/ apparatus used for column studies.
mill mixers: even though larger concentrations of selenium were leached using
the NBS mIxer. For the four highest Iiquid-to-solid ratios, the roller mill mixer
yielded the most consistent results of the three mixers, while the ASTM mixer
gave the least consistent results.
One explanation of these results is the difference in agitation given the
sample by. the three typ~s of mixers. The ASTM mixer, operated at 70 cpm,
does not gIVe enough agItation to keep the sample mixed. On the other hand,
th.e .NBS ~ixer probably causes some particle abrasion because of its rigorous
mlxmg actIon. The roller mill gives a gentle but complete mixing of the sam-
ple resulting in the most consistent results.
Table 4 shows the results for the chromium determinations. It was found
that after 6 h leach time, there was not a significant time relationship for any
of the mixers. It should be noted that the same correlation exists for chro-
l~lium as for ~elenium. As the Iiquid-to-solid ratio increased, the concentra-
tion of chromIUm leached per gram of sample used also increased. Cadmium
and lead were present in such low concentrations that they were of little value
in evaluating the methods; therefore, they have been omitted.
Table 5 shows the last of the four parameters, arsenic. Examination of the
results obtained, using the ASTM and NBS mixers, indicates that after 12 h
88 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERtoNGc

~.
JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS
89
r ABLE 1- Variables used jor batch extraction tests.
,
Leach Time, h
Liquid-to-
Solid Ratio 3 6 12 24 48 72 96
BEADS 0.27 em DIA.)

ASTM Mixer
4/1 v v v v v v v v FEED LINE
1011 v v v v v v v v
20/1 v v v v v v v v
40/1 v v v v v v v
SOil v v v v v v v
NBS Mixer
411 V' V' v v V' V' V V'
lOll V' v v v v v v v
2011 v v V' v v v v V'
40/1 v v V' V' V' V' V'
8011 v V' V' V' V' V' V'
TO WATER
Roller Mill
411 V' v V' V' V' V'
lOll v V' V' V' V' V'
2011 v V' V' V' V' V'
4011 V' V' V' V' V'
SOil V' v V' V' V'

leach time the amount of arsenic leached does not exhibit a consistent pat-
tern, No data were available past the 12 h leach time for the roller mill tests,
The data for the roller mill were too scattered to be conclusive,
We conclude our evaluation of the three batch tests by discussing their
relationship to the first three problems, The first problem, the optimum
liquid-to-solid ratio, is solved by examination of Figs, 5 and 6, These curves
show that as the Iiquid-to-solid ratio increased, the concentration of the
metals in the leachates also increased, These results were true for all three
mixers even though only the results for the NBS mixer are shown, These data
show that in order to obtain the optimum concentration of metal leached, in
Ilg of metal/g of sample used, it is necessary to use a Iiqui~-to:solid ratio of
80/1. Even though the data illustrate that the BO/1 raho gIVes the best
results, the problems associated with obtaining a representative aliquot ~ro~
a sample that may vary in particle size from powder to large. chunk~, ,;111 1D
all probability necessitate the use of a somewhat less than optImum hqUld-to-
solid ratio, if the same equipment is to be used. As a result of the above prob-
lem the 20/1 ratio is recommended for use at this time.
The second problem is whether a 48 h leach time is necessary. Examina-
tion of the data in Tables 3, 4, and 5 shows that even though the concentra-
tions of the metals increase in some cases, there is no consistent pattern to
these increases, and the concentrations decreased or remained the same for
PUMP
SAMPLE I TO PUMP
FIG. 4~Experimelltal apparatus used for column studies.
47 percent of the leach tests that exceed the 12 h leach time. This data would
seem to indicate that a 12 h leach test would be sufficient.
The third problem is whether the platform shaker mixes adequately. The
data in Tables 3, 4, and 5 show that larger concentrations of all three metals
are leached when using the NBS mixer than are leached when using the
ASTM mixer-an indication that more mixing may be necessary. The sele-
nium and chromium results obtained by using the roller mill were more con-
sistent than the results obtained by using the other two mixers. The arsenic
data for the roller mill, on the other hand, were found to be so inconclusive
th.at ~hey were of little use, other than using that inconsistency as the
criterion for the elimination of the roller mill mixer at this time. The NBS
mixer gave good results for all three metals at the 80/1 Iiquid-to-solid ratio.
The concentrations of the metals in the leachates were about the same at 3, 6,
and ~2 h leach .time. After examination of all the data, and the previously
menttoned consIderations, the NBS mixer, utilizing a 20/1 Iiquid-ta-solid
ratio and a leach time of 12 h, was chosen for comparison with the column
test.
 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 91
90

TABLE 2-pH values for the batch leach tests. TABLE 4-pg// of chromium leached using the balch extractioll test.

Leach Time. h Leach Time, h

Liquid-to-
Liquid-to- 48 72 96 Solid Ratio 3 6 12 24 48 72 90
3 6 12 24
Solid Ratio

NBS Mixer NBS Mixer

10.2 10.4 10.4 10.4 10.1 4/1 80 100 124 124 128 130 136 140
4/1 \0.1 10.2 10.1
10.3 10.4 10.3 10.1 10.4 10/1 S6 72 70 94 94 96 120
lOll 10.0 10.2 10.3
10.3 10.3 10.3 \0.4 9.8 10.4 20/1 S9 61 60 62 S6 62 72 90
20/1 10.2 \0.2 40/1 40 4S 45 47 39 44 60
\0.2 10.3 \0.3 10.3 10.4 10.3
40/1 \0.0 \0.1 80/1 29 31 29 30 25 31
BOil 9.7 \0.0 \0.0 10.0 10.0
ASTM Mixer ASTM Mixer

9.1 9.3 9.6 9.7 9.6 9.8 4/1 73 52 48 96 96 115 132

4/1 9.5 9.2 10.1 10.0 lOll 50 70 68 72 52 52 72 72
9.7 9.6 9.7 9.6 9.8
\OIl 9.7 10.1 \0.2 20/1 40 51 32 48 40 52 58 54
9.6 9.6 9.5 9.6 9.4 9.9
20/1 9.9 \0.1 4011 28 29 29 26 22 32
4011 9.5 9.5 9.4 9.5 9.2
9.2 9.4 9.4 9.7 10.1 80/1 21 21 21 25 24 28
BOil 8.0 9.3
Roller Mill Roller Mill

\0.4 10.2 \0.3 10.4 4/1 102 116 160 160 148 172
4/1 9.7 9.9
10.1 \0.3 10.2 10.2 lOll 58 96 110 102 \04
lOll 9.8 9.9 20/1 43 66 48 70
\0.2 10.2 10.3 9.9 42 63
20/1 9.9 40/1 32 21 37 25 35 50
40/1 9.8 10.1 \0.2 10.4 10.2
\0.0 10.0 80/1 20 20 24 27 28
BOil 9.5 9.8

TABLE 3-W]1/ of selenium leached usirlg the batch extraction test. The pH values for the column test range from 8.1 to 9.2, while the pH
values of the batch tests range from 9.8 to 10.4. Figures 7, 8, and 9 graphi-
Leach Time. h
cally depict the rates at which selenium, chromium, and arsenic were leached
Liquid-to- 72 96 from the four fly ash columns. The selenium concentrations at day one were
3 6 12 24 48
Solid Ratio
about 2000 ltg/I, but decreased very rapidly, much as would be expected.
NBS Mixer After about day twenty the selenium concentration leveled out at about 250
714 534 440 470 309 293 ltg/I. and did not drop below that level before the tests were terminated after
4/1 608 605 330
358 3BO 442 248 267 320 60 days. The chromium, Fig. 8, was leached much the same way as the se-
\011 271 178 171
179 238 257 250 186 173
20/1
91 120 92 Icnium; the only noticeable difference is that the chromium concentrations
40/1 \03 98 124 100
52 SO 60 59 64 58 decreased throughout the entire 60 day test period_ The final concentration
BOil
ASTM Mixer
was about 50 ltg/I.
240 300 216 240 The arsenic results, as shown by Fig. 9, present an entirely different pic-
4/1 223 153 179 300
200 220 180 188 174 ture. The amount of arsenic leached the first five days declined very rapidly.
1011 225 200 2BO
92 140 132 128
20/1 82 100 87 8S and then appeared to level out until day twenty, when the leachates from all
46 46 67 40
40/1 38 36 four columns began to increase in arsenic concentration. This upward trend
100 30 48 35 34
BOil 20 19
had not changed whe;! the tests were terminated; the concentrations were all
Roller Mill
above 1500 ltg/I. Examination of the data for the four application rates
160 180 154 192 360 420
4/1
220 260 shows the rate at which arsenic is lea.ched to be very dependent on the rate at
1011 260 200 260 240
which the water is applied to the column_ The higher the application rates,

,
2011 140 160 160 160 152
4011 BO 100 60 60 70 .. the greater the concentration of arsenic in the leachate. This would appear to
40 30 28 40 34
BOil be in agreement with the findings of the batch tests, that is, the larger the
92 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE
JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 93

TABLE 5-llgl/ oj arsenic leached using the batch extraction test.

Leach Time, h
Liquid-to-
Solid Ratio 3 6 12 24 48 72

NBS Mixer 4.0

4/1 280 362 342 3~0 324 392 525 391

1011 560 504 440 540 610 60S 240 362
20/1 480 680 564 620 540 819 533 467
4011 689 720 800 880 972 748 847
8011 612 664 664 664 847 752
s,
ASTM Mixer
4/1 354 554 518 S64 668 600 659 899
1011 444 404 404 420 791 727 669 620 30
20/1 444 466 460 502 635 822 711 802
40/1 447 416 480 444 431 523
80/1 378 383 408 360 398 624
Roller Mill
4/1 384 428 286 429
lOll 566 624 520 491
20/1 740 517 720 655
E
4011 766 636 716 556 ~ 2.0
8011 724 660 766 825 ~

_ _-c,

~
liquid-to-solid ratio, the greater the concentration of arsenic leached per
gram of sample. This is probably due to the solubility limiting factor.
Table 6 shows the final results for both the batch and column tests. We
had previously concluded that the 20/1 liquid-to-solid ratio probably would
1.0
be the most realistic ratio, and if we used the NBS mixer, a leach time of 12 h
would be sufficient. In this table we have compared the results obtained using
those conditions with the numbers obtained by averaging the results for all
four columns at the end of the 60-day test period. There appears to be a
relationship between the two methods for selenium and chromium, but the
arsenic values do not correspond.

4/1 lOll 40/1

Conclusion UQUID TO SOLIDS RATIO
80/1

After trying to compare our batch leach test to the column study, it was de- . FIG. s-p.g// of seleni:WI and chromium leached per gram of sample used IiI the batch t .
(lOll lest. Leach time, 12 h. (NBS mixer) , ex ra(-
termined that a tremendous amount of work remained to be done. Some of
the questions to be answered are: what are the other major constituents in the
samples; how did they respond to the same experimental conditions; how are
the metals bound to the waste particles;, what effect does the change in pH
have; what are the solubility limiting factors; does particle abrasion play an
important part in the batch test; and will the low application rates give the
94 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE

LlaUIDS TO SOLIDS RATIO

FIG. 6-j.Lg// of arsenic leached per gram of sample used in lite hatch extraction test. Leach
time, 12 h. (NBS mixer)
 JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 95

(
"00

1200

1100

1000

900
- -4S"/YEAA/ACRE (282 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
--5S"/YEAR/ACRE (345 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
·······6' ..'YEAR/ACRE /382 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
_ _ 89"fYEAR/ACRE (558 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
800

II \
II \
II \
600 II \
I I;
I I]
I "
I '\
\ \\
~ .00 \ \ \
~!.. I \ \

-- --- ..... " :::.:::~.~::,::.:.:::..........

.);t;' \ \ \
4~ \\ \
'"
'"
"\ \ .........................
I'!:~-::..~
'1- .........-~~:.:.:.::...:::..;,;..
\.
-- "

""- ....... _----

200

(
80/1

l sample used in the batch extraction test. Leach

DAYS

FIG. 7-j.Lg// of selenium leached per day ill the column leach lest.
96. HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE

'300

1200

1100

1000

900

800

- -45"IYEAR/ACRE (282 cmIYEAR/HECTARE)

- -SS";YEARfACAE (345 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
·······61 ..IYEAR/ACRE (382 cmIYEARIHECTARE)
'00 -S9"/YEAR/ACRE (558 em/YEAR/HECTARE)

~ 400

200

FIG. B-J1.g// oj chromium leached per day in the column leach test.
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. ,'" '" "" "" "" '" '" '" """"""""""" '" '" """M'" '" '" '" '''"::::::::.:::::.::':''''."."."."."." ..''''...."..''''."..''''.,,..",.. ' ,,",0="" - . '""",," ".',""' ,,' """',,

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IIIIIIIIIIIIIImilmllmllllllllllllmllllilmilmllmllllilmilmllmllllllmlllmllllllil s, Scenario 1 consists of a combination of new alkaline and acidic fly ash obtained
""""""""""""""""""""",,,, the precipitator outlet hoppers challenging three layers of site soil. This scenario
ents the interaction of a worst-case ash (that is, highest trace metal content) in
::I: contact with site soil. Scenario 2 consists of the same fly ash combination used to
... .. .. nge a layer of aged fly ash and then bottom ash. Scenario 3 involves a new com-

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extraction after the second was doubled, Each extraction mixture was slowly
d with a paddle for a predetermined time period. Conductivity and pH were
'ed at intervals throughout the period, At the end of the extraction period, the
was filtered in a vacuum. An aliquot of the filtrate was then filtered through a

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19ineer-environmental, Wyman-Gordon Co" North Grafton, Mass. 01536.
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90 HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE TESTING: FIRST CONFERENCE JACKSON ET AL ON LEACH TEST METHODS 97

1300

1200

1100

1000
- - 45"/VEAR/ACRE j282 cmlYE:AR!HECTARE)
--5S"IYEAR/ACRE (345 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
·······61 .. fYEAR/ACRE (382 (Om/YEAR/HECTARE)
900 -SSP/YEAR/ACRE (558 em/YEAR/HECTARE)

800
- - 4S"/YEAR/ACRE (282 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
- -5S"!YEAR/ACRE (345 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
·······61"fYEAR/ACRE (382 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
-R9"/YEAA!ACRE (558 em/YEAR/HECTARE)
600 3000

~ .......... ---- -'7"-

.../'
~~~~~~
400
......./
.,............ /:......
~
.... / / /
_~"?c.-.L::: _ - - - - .::.
..............
-....-...:::..:...-::......""-::.....
200

DAYS

FIG. 8-J..'gl/ of chromium leached per day in the column leach test. FIG. 9-j.Lg// of arsenic leached per day ill the column leach test.
 TABLE 6-Concentrations of selenium.
chromium. and arsenic leached using the
batch extraction and column test methods.
1 F. Villaume,l B. C. Middlesworth, 2 and D. F. Unites 3

Batch Test,
20/1 Liquid·to·
Solid Ratio,
12 h Leach Time, Columns at the
NBS Mixer, )Lg/l End of 60 Days Use of Batchwise Extraction
250
Selenium
270
Procedure for Coal Ash
Chromium Disposal Evaluation
62 SO
Arsenic
819 2362

same type of results. All these questions should be answered before a definite
comparison can be made. However, we do feel we can recommend the use of
the NBS mixer and a 20/1 Iiquid·to·solid ratio for the batch test. A leach
time of 12 h would appear to be sufficient, but a 12 h leach test presents a
scheduling problem in the laboratory workday; therefore, it may be necessary
to use a longer leach time.
REFERENCE: Villaume, J. F., Middlesworth, B. c., and Unites, D. F., "Use of Batch·
wise Extraction Procedure for Coal Ash Disposal Evaluation," Hazardous Solid Waste
Testing: First Conference, ASTM STP 760. R. A. Conway and B. C. Malloy, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1981, pp. 99-111.
ABSTRACT: To provide a steam electric station with information regarding the
chemical nature of leachate from a proposed dry fly and bottom ash disposal site, ac-
celerated laboratory testing of ash leachability and contaminant adsorption in the site
soils was performed. These tests involved sequential batchwise extractions of various
combinations of new alkaline and acidic fly ash, aged fly ash, bottom ash, and site soil to
simulate leachate from the disposal site. The testing procedure, originally developed by
Houle and Long at the Dugway Proving Ground, Dugway, Utah, has been shown to
closely simulate leached columns, with the advantage of requiring less time and effort
than column tests. These tests allowed the simulation of years of field leaching in a period
of several weeks.
Three different combinations or scenarios of fly and bottom ash and site soil were
chosen for accelerated testing. These scenarios represent variations of potential site con-
ditions. Scenario 1 consists of a combination of new alkaline and acidic fly ash obtained
from the precipitator outlet hoppers challenging three layers of site soil. This scenario
represents the interaction of a worst-case ash (that is, highest trace metal content) in
direct contact with site soil. Scenario 2 consists of the same fly ash combination used to
challenge a layer of aged fly ash and then bottom ash. Scenario 3 involves a new com-
posite acidic fly ash layer challenging a layer of aged fly ash and then bottom ash.
Scenarios 2 and 3 both yielded a leachate which could be expected from the disposal site
given a condition of saturation. Scenario 3 was considered to be an absolute worst-case in
that acidic leachate from the ash would cause the maximum solubility of heavy metals.
The test procedure involved eight extractions of each ash or soil layer. The ratios of ash
to water and soil to water were graded by size to accelerate testing, that is, the volume of
each extraction after the second was doubled. Each extraction mixture was slowly
agitated with a paddle for a predetermined time period. Conductivity and pH were
monitored at intervals throughout the period. At the end of the extraction period, the
mixture was filtered in a vacuum. An aliquot of the filtrate was then filtered through a

I Senior project scientist, Pennsylvania Power and Light Co., Allentown. Pa. 18101.
2Facilities engineer-environmental, Wyman-Gordon Co., North Grafton. Mass. 01536.
JSection manager, Hazardous Waste Services, TRC Environmcldal Consultants,
Wethersfield, Conn. Ob I09.

99