Industrial waste toxicity level study and possibilities of remediation (Svaneti-Zestafoni-Bolnisi)

Author: mariam vibliani
Keywords: waste, toxicity, remediation, extraction, cementation
Annotation:

Together with the growth of improper man-made activity and intensity of the mining and processing production, the issue of environmental pollution with industrial waste becomes more and more urgent. The subject of our research are the arsenic-bearing wastes of Svaneti region, the quarry wastewater of Madneuli Mining and Processing Enterprise in Kvemo Kartli, and the manganese-bearing waste in the form of dust of Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant. In the first stage, the area of distribution of Svaneti arsenopyrite waste from four different objects was investigated. Initial samples were analyzed for the content of arsenic, degree of toxicity, area of distribution, valence, forms, pH, and their remediation possibilities. In the second stage, the chemical composition of the quarry wastewater of Madneuli chalcopyrite ore was determined, its impact on the ecological state of the Kazretula and Mashavera Rivers, as well as copper remediation. In the third stage, the physicochemical mineralogical composition of the manganese-bearing dust of the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant was determined, quantitative-spectral and thermogravimetric analyses were made, as well as dust remediation for producing manganese sulfide. It has been determined that the percentage of arsenic in all the four Svaneti objects is very high, making 12-43-59-73.5%, which implies that the samples represent the oxide annealed ores. One of them (73,5%) is technical “white’ arsenic, which is a base product for producing arsenic-containing compounds. It is characterized by hightoxicity level, low solubility and a small area of distribution. pH< 7. In the form of arsenites. These waste create danger for the population of Svaneti and also, for the whole Georgia. Remediation is possible by aliphatic alcohols (etherification by producing (RO)3As) where R= C4H9. The copper content in thequarry wastewater of Madneulichalcopyrite ore does not exceed 0.8-1.12 g/l. Copper remediation using iron rods, where the copper content makes 99%, has been established, which should be considered a great achievement. This technique could be used for treating the Kazretula-Mashavera irrigation systems and coping thus with the greatest ecological problem. Also determined is the content of initial Mn ion the Zestafoni manganese-bearing dust, which does not exceed 17 %. The dust with this content of Manganese is dangerous for Chiatura-Zestafoni soils and for the health of the population. Its leaching was carried out by a modern buffer EPA system. The solid and liquid ratio was 1:20. The yield in the form of manganese sulfide made 98%. Modern EPA standards, quantitative-spectral, atomic-absorption spectroscopy, polarographic, thermogravimetric and quantitative-chemical analytical methods were used in the studies.