Chemical elimination of the harmful properties of asbestos from military facilities

• Published in: Waste management (Elmsford) Vol. 61; pp. 377 - 385
• Main Authors: Pawełczyk, Adam, Božek, František, Grabas, Kazimierz, Chęcmanowski, Jacek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Asbestos; Asbestos - chemistry; Health hazard; Military Facilities; Military waste disposal; Phosphoric Acids; Poland; Temperature; Waste Management - methods; Waste Products - analysis; X-ray analysis; X-Ray Diffraction; Health hazard; X-ray analysis; Asbestos; Military waste disposal
• ISSN: 0956-053X; 1879-2456
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.11.041

[Display omitted] •Chemical neutralization and conversion of military asbestos waste to usable products was proposed.•Chemical, microscopic and X-ray studies were made to identify new phases in the obtained products.•Examination for asbestos fibers presence in the products and their safety were carried out. This work presents research on the neutralization of asbestos banned from military use and its conversion to usable products. The studies showed that asbestos can be decomposed by the use of phosphoric acid. The process proved very effective when the phosphoric acid concentration was 30%, the temperature was 90°C and the reaction time 60min. Contrary to the common asbestos treatment method that consists of landfilling, the proposed process ensures elimination of the harmful properties of this waste material and its transformation into inert substances. The obtained products include calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate and silica. Chemical, microscopic and X-ray analyses proved that the products are free of harmful fibers and can be, in particular, utilized for fertilizers production. The obtained results may contribute to development of an asbestos utilization technique that fits well into the European waste policy, regulated by the EU waste management law.