BIOLEACHING OF MORTARS AND CONCRETES CONTAINING BOTTOM ASHES FROM MSWI PLANTS

Abstract

Two mortars (B2/1 and B2/2) and one concrete (B3/1) containing bottom ashes from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) plants were submitted to a bioleaching test in order to assess the effect of biological activity in the release of different chemical species. The effect of monolithic materials in the chemical conditions of leaching media, biological growth and biological diversity was more significant than the biological effect over the leaching behavior of the materials.

Full text

BOOK
OF
PROCEEDINGS
5
3rd

BOOK
OF
PROCEEDINGS

CVR – Centro para a Valorização de Resíduos
Campus de Azurém da Universidade do Minho
4800-058 Guimarães
Telef.: +351 253 510 020
Fax: +351 253 510 029
http://www.cvresiduos.pt
e-mail: geral@cvresiduos.pt
Book of proceedings
3rd International Conference: WASTES: Solutions,
Treatments and Opportunities
EDITION
CVR – Centro para a valorização de Resíduos
AUTHORS
Cândida Vilarinho, Fernando Castro, Joana Carvalho, Mário Russo,
Jorge Araújo
COVER DESIGN
Carlos Carneiro
ISSN
2183-0568
September 2015

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
•Cândida Vilarinho [U. Minho, Portugal]
•Fernando Castro [U. Minho, Portugal]
•Mário Russo [IPVC, Portugal]
•Joana Carvalho [CVR, Portugal]
•Joel Oliveira [U. Minho, Portugal]
•Jorge Araújo [CVR, Portugal]
•Madalena Alves [U. Minho, Portugal]
•Mário Tomé [IPVC, Portugal]
•Miguel Brito [IPVC, Portugal]
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
•Fernando Castro, Universidade do Minho, CVR, Portugal [Chairman of Scientific Committee]
•Ana Andres, Universidad de Cantabria, Spain
•Anabela Sousa de Oliveira, Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Portugal
•Alberto Coz Fernández, Universidad de Cantabria, Spain
•Ana Luísa Fernando, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
•Ana Segadães, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
•Anabela Leitão, Universidade Agostinho Neto, Angola
•Ange Nzihou, École de Mines de Albi, France
•António Brito, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•António Correia, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•António José Roque, LNEC – Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Portugal
•António Roca, Universita de Barcelona, Spain
•Antonis Mavropoulos, ISWA - International Solid Waste Association, Austria
•Benilde Mendes, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
•Cândida Vilarinho, Universidade do Minho, CVR, Portugal

•Carlos Bernardo, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Carlos Nogueira, LNEG – Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Portugal
•Costas Velis, University of Leeds, UK
•Eduardo Ferreira, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Ernst Worrell, Utrecht University, Netherlands
•Felipe Macias Vasquez, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
•Fernanda Margarido, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
•Gerasimus Lyberatos, NTU Athens, Greece
•Goran Vujic, Universidade NoviSad, Sérvia
•Hugo Silva, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Ibrahim Gulyurtlu, LNEG – Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Portugal
•Javier Escudero, École de Mines de Albi, France
•Javier Viguri, Universita de Cantabria, Spain
•Joana Dias, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
•Joana Carvalho, CVR - Centro para a Valorização de Resíduos, Portugal
•João A. Labrincha, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
•Jorge Araújo, CVR - Centro para a Valorização de Resíduos, Portugal
•Joel Ricardo Martins Oliveira, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•José Barroso de Aguiar, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•José Fernando Jucá, CETENE, Brazil
•José M. P. Vieira, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•José Teixeira, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Juergen Antrekowitsch, University of Leoben, Austria
•Luís Marinheiro, APESB, Portugal
•Madalena Alves, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Manuel Afonso Magalhães da Fonseca Almeida, Universidade do Porto, Portugal

•Marco Castaldi, City University of New York, USA
•Margarida Gonçalves, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
•Margarida M. J. Quina, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
•Maria Alcina Pereira, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Maria Cristina Diez, Universidad de La Frontera, Chile
•Mario Costa, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa
•Mário Russo, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Portugal
•Miguel Brito, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Portugal
•Nuno Cristelo, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
•Nuno Lapa, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
•Paulo Ferrão, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
•Paulo Ramisio, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Regina Monteiro, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
•Rosa Quinta-Ferreira, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
•Susete Martins-Dias, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
•Teresa Vieira, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
•Tiago Filipe Miranda, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
•Victor Ferreira, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal

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FROM THE EDITOR
Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that we bring to you this Book of Proceedings developed within the
context of the International Conference Wastes: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities.
The Wastes conferences, happening every two years, are a platform for the scientists and
industries from the waste management and recycling sectors from around the world, to share
experiences and knowledge with all who attend. Discussions regarding the balance between
economic, environmental and social outcomes are carefully addressed. The development of
innovative techniques, tools and strategies on how wastes can be transformed into good ideas,
improving both the overall environmental performance and the understanding of the industry
impact on the environment, as well as the options analysis for its improvement are key
objectives of this event.
With this editorial work we continue the publication of the scientific papers developed around
the oral presentations and posters delivered at this conference, taking the scope of this event
beyond the limits of its physical occurrence.
This issue contains 86 short papers presented at the edition of 2015. They consist of improved
and developed scientific papers, constituting an additional outcome to the conference. As for
the full papers submitted, they were included in a book published by CRC Press – Taylor &
Francis Group that will be proposed to Scopus and Thomson Reuters for indexing.
The subjects of the articles are: Environmental, economic and social aspects in waste
management; Wastes as fuels; Recycling and materials recovery; Wastes as construction
materials; Waste treatment.
We hope you benefit from the investigation papers presented and that they encourage you to
bring your work to the 2017 edition!
Chair of the Organizing Committee
Cândida Vilarinho

THEME
TITLE
AUTHOR
PAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL,
ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL
ASPECTS IN WASTE
MANAGEMENT
LCA APPLIED TO ALTERNATIVE WOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIES IN THE WOOD AND FURNITURE INDUSTRY
Ferreira, J.
2
ASSESSMENT OF RISKS AND BENEFITS OF RECYCLING SEWAGE
SLUDGE AND DIFFERENT COMPOSTED ORGANIC WASTES TO
AGRICULTURAL LAND
Alvarenga, P.
5
GIS BASED HELP-DECISION MAKING SOFTWARE TOOL FOR
IMPLEMENTING THE VALORISATION OF ORGANIC WASTE IN THE
BASQUE COUNTRY (SPAIN)
San Martin, D.
8
THE USE OF GIS AND AHP FOR THE SELECTION OF SUITABLE AREAS
FOR LANDFILL SITING - CASE STUDY: 5 UGRHI
Spigolon, L.M.G.
11
NITROGEN MINERALIZATION IN VINEYARD SOILS AS AFFECTED BY
WINERY WASTE AMENDMENT
Rodriguez-Salgado, I.
14
SHORT-TERM EVOLUTION OF SOME CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF
VINEYARD SOILS AMENDED WITH BENTONITE WASTE
Rodriguez-Salgado, I.
17
DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS FOR ASSESSING THE CRITICALITY OF
RESOURCES: APPLICATION TO THE CASE OF PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS.
Yemele, M.T.
20
SYNTHESIS OF DOPED TIO2 PHOTOCATALYSTS TO INCREASE THEIR
PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY IN THE VISIBLE REGION
Guerra, W.N.A.
23
TOXICITY OF WASTEWATER OBTAINED FROM DIFFERENT TREATED
WOOD
Cruz-Lopes, L.P.
26
MODULAR DESIGN: CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
REUSING LEATHER WASTE
Broega, A.C.
29
CONTRIBUTION OF WASTES TO THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE
PORTUGUESE VINHO VERDE SUPPLY CHAIN
Herva, M.
32
AN LCA APPROACH TO ANALYZE BIOWASTE DISPOSAL STRATEGIES
Martins, F.
35
ENHANCEMENT OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID
WASTE IN LANDFILL WITH LEACHATE RECIRCULATION: STATE-OF-
THEART REVIEW
Maria, C.J.
38
CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN PLEUROTUS
CORNUCOPIAE CULTIVATED ON NORMAL SUBSTRATE AND ON WASTE
COFFEE GROUNDS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Antunes, M.B.
42
DECISION METHODS APPLIED TO SOLVE A SAFETY PROBLEM ON A
WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY
Rocha, A.
45
DEVELOPING OF WASTE FLOWS INDICATORS SETS FOR REGIONAL
PLANNING
Cifrian, E.
48
COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF PHENOLIC POLLUTANTS FROM
INDUSTRIAL WASTES ON NEURONAL ZINC AND ROS SIGNALS
Bastos, F.C.
51
CHANGES IN NEURONAL AUTOFLUORESCENCE EVOKED BY PHENOLIC
CONTAMINANTS
Freitas, J.C.S.
54
THE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS WASTE MANAGEMENT AT
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SÃO CARLOS
Santi, A.D.
57
RECYCLING OF
WASTES AND
MATERIALS
RECOVERY
RECOVERY OF PALLADIUM FROM A SPENT AUTOMOBILE CATALYST
LEACHING SOLUTION BY A THIODIGLYCOLAMIDE DERIVATIVE
Paiva, A.P.
61
VALORISATION OF PINEAPPLE PROCESSING WASTE AS ADSORBENT
Cobas, M.
64
LIQUEFIED ALMOND SHELLS POTENTIAL AS A SUBSTITUTE OF LESS
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN PARTICLEBOARD PRODUCTION
Cruz-Lopes, L.P.
67
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND POSSIBLE VALORIZATION OF RESIDUAL
LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIALS
Cruz-Lopes, L.P.
70
LIQUEFIED HAZELNUT SHELLS POTENTIAL AS A PARTIAL SUBSTITUTE
OF UF RESINS
Cruz-Lopes, L.P.
73
POTATO PEEL WASTE BASED ACTIVATED CARBON FOR DICLOFENAC
ADSORPTION
Bernando, M.
76
EUCALYPTUS SPP. OUTER BARK EXTRACTS AGAINST MULTIDRUG
RESISTANT BACTERIA
Parreira, P.
79
ADHESIVE PRODUCTION FROM WOOD SAWDUST THROUGH
LIQUEFACTION
Duarte, J.
82
COPPER LIBERATION AND RECOVERY FROM WASTE PRINTED CIRCUIT
Ventura, E.
85
INDEX

BOARDS
POLYURETHANE FOAM PRODUCTION FROM LIQUEFIED CORK DUST
Costa, C.I.
88
BRASS SMELTING DUST AS A SOURCE OF ZnO IN THE PRODUCTION
OF TARGETS USED IN MAGNETRON SPUTTERING THIN FILM
DEPOSITION
Monteiro, R.C.C.
91
ALKALINE STABILISATION OF WASTES FOR USE IN AGRICULTURE
Amador, A.
94
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FOOD PRODUCTS FOR CHEESE WHEY
VALORIZATION
Bald, C.
97
CHARACTERIZATION OF GELATINS EXTRACTED FROM SALTWATER
FISH SKINS
Sousa, S.C.
100
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MASCARPONE
CHEESE WITH FISH GELATIN AS A FAT SUBSTITUTE
Carvalho, T.
103
PRODUCTION OF BIOSORBENTS FROM WASTE OLIVE CAKE AND ITS
ADSORPTION CHARACTERISTICS FOR Al (III)
Fernando, A.L.
106
PROCESSING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLATES MADE FROM
GRANULATE OF WASTE ELECTRICAL CABLES
Mota, C.
109
MATERIAL VALORIZATION OF Arundo donax L. AND Phoenix canariensis
BIOMASS AS ADSORBENTS OF METHYLENE BLUE DYE
Correia, R.
112
ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL EFFECT OF PYROLIGNEOUS ACID
Ribeiro, A.
115
WASTE TREATMENT
SEPARATION AND REUSE OF PLASTERBOARD GYPSUM FROM MSW
FOR DECREASING THE BOTTOM ASH FROM INCENERATION
Kouvo, P.
119
STABILIZATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC-ALGINATE BIOADSORBENT
WITH BIOSURFACTANTS
Rodriguez-Ayora, A.
122
SUBSTRATE INHIBITION LIMITATIONS DURING THE BIODEGRADATION
OF PAHs CONTAINED IN SEWAGE SLUDGE IN PRESENCE OF
BIOSURFACTANT
Vecino, X.
125
ARE EXTREMOPHYLES SUITABLE CANDIDATES FOR BIOREMEDIATION
OF IONIC LIQUIDS?
Álvarez, M.S.
128
REMEDIATING HEAVY METALS-POLLUTED SEDIMENTS BY AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SEQUENTIAL PROCESS
Álvarez, M.S.
131
EXTREMOPHILIC BIOMASS DISRUPTION AND LIPOLYTIC
EXTREMOZYMES EXTRACTION BY MEANS OF IONIC LIQUIDS
Gutiérrez-Arnillas, E.
134
INDUCTOR EFFECT OF CHESTNUT SHELLS IN THE BIODEGRADATION
OF M-CRESOL AND 4-NITROPHENOL BY PHLEBIA RADIATA
Cobas, M.
137
APPLICATION OF ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESSES FOR THE
TREATMENT OF SOLID MATRIXES POLLUTED BY HYDROCARBONS
Bocos, E.
140
TANNERY EFFLUENTS TREATMENT BY NEW BIOSORBENT:
GRAPEFRUIT PEELINGS
Meijide, J.
143
LOW COST WASTES MIXTURE AS PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS
MEDIA FOR THE REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS
Rosales, E.
146
NEW TREATMENTS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF WINERY WASTEWATER
Diez, A.
149
HOMOGENEOUS CATALYSIS THROUGTH FENTON PROCESS FOR
DEGRADATION OF REMAZOL BLUE DYE IN MODEL WASTEWATERS
FROM TEXTILE INDUSTRY
Freire, L.
152
DEGRADATION OF DYES INDIGOIDES WITH FENTON REAGENT FOR
EFFLUENT TREATMENT IN TEXTILE INDUSTRIES
Meira, M.
156
CHROMIUM (III) REMOVAL BY CHARS PRODUCED IN THE GASIFICATION
AND CO-PYROLYSIS OF RICE WASTES
Godinho, D.
160
OPTIMIZATION OF CORK POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS LIQUEFACTION
Dulyanska, Y.
163
STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF EXTRACTION PARAMETERS ON
PHENOLIC EXTRACTION FROM CYNARA CARDUNCULUS VAR. ALTILIS,
FOLLOWED BY CONCENTRATION BY NANOFILTRATION
Brás, T.
166
CO-DIGESTION OF CHEESE WHEY AND LIQUID FRACTION OF DAIRY
MANURE USING BATCH TESTS
Muñoz, N.
169
OPTIMIZATION OF THE LIQUEFACTION OF THE BARK OF DOUGLAS-FIR
(PSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESII)
Vitor, M.J.
172
EXPLORING THE APPLICATION OF ENZYME-BASED SYSTEMS FOR THE
REMOVAL OF ANTIBIOTICS USED IN AQUACULTURE
Bustamante, V.
175
EFFICIENT CO-FERMENTATION USING A SUGAR-RICH SUBSTRATE
FROM AGRO-INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Rodrigues, B.
178
BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS THROUGH ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF
Morana, A.
180

HETEROTROPHIC MICROALGAE RESIDUES
VALIDATION OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES EXTRATION METHODOLOGY AND
ITS APPLICATION IN A LANDFILL LEACHATE
Brás, M.J.
183
HYBRID ANAEROBIC REACTOR INTEGRATING A REAL-TIME
MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
Marques, I.P.
186
ACIDIFICATION OF DIGESTATE FROM ANAEROBIC SYSTEM TO REDUCE
AMMONIA VOLATILIZATION
Hosseini, M.M.
189
RECYCLING OF IRON RICH WASTES FOR THE CHEMICAL
STABILIZATION OF OLIVE MILL SOLID WASTES
Lobo, J.
192
MICROWAVE ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF HYDROXYCINNAMIC ACIDS
FROM INDUSTRIAL HEMP DUST
Bassil, S.
195
BIOREMEDIATION OF POULTRY INDUSTRIES EFFLUENTS USING
MICROALGAE
Viegas, C.
198
WASTES AS
CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS
RECYCLING OF USED NATURAL CORK STOPPERS FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Demertzi, M.
202
BIOLEACHING OF MORTARS AND CONCRETES CONTAINING BOTTOM
ASHES FROM MSWI PLANTS
Lapa, N.
205
BITUMINOUS MIXTURE WITH RECLAIMED ASPHALT PAVEMENT:
ACOUSTIC ASSESSMENT
Vásquez, V.F.
209
PROSPECTIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF LOW DENSITY WOOD
CEMENT COMPOSITE WITH WOOD WASTE AND PORTLAND CEMENT
Parchen, C.F.A.
212
MANUFACTURING OF A ROAD PIN FROM WASTES OF TIRE AND
UNDIFFERENTIATED PLASTICS
Malça, C.
215
ENHANCEMENT OF A WOOD PLASTIC COMPOSITE TILE DESIGN FOR
GREEN ROOFS
Baptista, S.
218
WASTE RECYCLING IN METAKAOLIN BASED GEOPOLYMERS
Hajjaji, W.
221
HEAT CONDITIONS AND TIME CURING INFLUENCING ON
ALKALINEACTIVATED ILLITE CLAY-COAL FLY ASH BRICKS
Dacuba, J.
224
WASTES AS FUELS
NEW RAW MATERIALS FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION: PRELIMINARY
STUDY OF THE USE OF MELIA A. L. SEEDS
Pardal, A.
228
VALORIZATION OF WASTE COOKING OIL INTO BIODIESEL OVER
COMPOSITES SBA-15-SO3H/PVA CATALYSTS
Caiado, M.
231
VALORIZATION OF GLYCEROL INTO BIOFUEL ADDITIVES
HETEROPOLYACIDS SUPPORTED IN ACID SOLIDS
Santos, F.I.
234
CO-PYROLYSIS OF WOOD AND PLASTIC WASTES: INFLUENCE OF
PLASTIC TYPE AND CONTENT ON PRODUCT YIELD AND QUALITY
Ephraim, A.
237
OPTIMIZATION OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM ACIDOGENIC
FERMENTATION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASTE
Wu, Y.Y.
240
EFFECT OF PROCESS PARAMETERS ON ENERGY DENSITY OF
BRIQUETTES COMPOSED BY SUGARCANE RESIDUAL BIOMASS
Camargo, J.M.O.
243
CHARACTERIZATION OF COFFEE INDUSTRY’S RESIDUE FOR
APPLICATION IN ENERGY RECOVERY
Camargo, H.J.
246
POTENTIAL PRODUCTION OF RDF FROM MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
MECHANICAL TREATMENT AND SELECTIVE COLLECTION REJECTED
STREAMS
Duarte, D.
249
BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION IN AERATED REACTOR FROM DAIRY
EFFLUENT
Constantino, A.
252
CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOMASS WASTES FOR POTENTIAL USE AS
FEEDSTOCK FOR PELLET PRODUCTION
Nobre, C.
255
UPGRADING OF INDUSTRIAL RDF USING TORREFACTION
Longo, A.
258
BIOMASS WASTE IN CO-FIRING PROCESSES TO PROMOTE THE
REDUCTION OF CO2 EMISSIONS
Nunes, L.J.R.
261
CHARACTERIZATION OF SILAGE DUST PRODUCED DURING REGULAR
OPERATION OF SILOS
Mota, A.
264

WASTES: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities
3rd International Conference
September 14th – 16th 2015
BIOLEACHING OF MORTARS AND CONCRETES CONTAINING BOTTOM
ASHES FROM MSWI PLANTS
N. Lapa1, M. Bernardo2, D. Dias1 and D. Godinho1
1 LAQV, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências e Tecnologia da Biomassa, Faculdade de
Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Ed. Departamental, Piso 3, 2829-516
Caparica, Portugal, email: ncsn@fct.unl.pt
2 LAQV, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia,
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Ed. Departamental, Piso 5, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
ABSTRACT
Two mortars (B2/1 and B2/2) and one concrete (B3/1) containing bottom ashes from
Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) plants were submitted to a bioleaching test in
order to assess the effect of biological activity in the release of different chemical species.
The effect of monolithic materials in the chemical conditions of leaching media, biological
growth and biological diversity was more significant than the biological effect over the
leaching behavior of the materials.
Keywords: Bioleaching; bottom ashes; concrete; mortar; MSWI plants
INTRODUCTION
Despite of standard leaching tests try to assess the environmental compatibility of materials such
as those for civil engineering that contain ashes from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI)
plants [1,2], they fail in one aspect: there are microorganisms in natural environments that are not
considered in leaching tests, and which can influence the chemical characteristics of materials. It is
well known the adverse effect of sulfuric acid produced by bacteria over the cement of sewer
pipelines [3]. This adverse effect falls within the biodeterioration processes. However, the biological
effect occurs much before the biodeterioration takes place and starts with bioleaching processes
[4]. Nevertheless, bioleaching over monolithic materials is not thoroughly reported in literature. In
this context, the main aim of the present work was to study the effect of biological activity on the
leaching behavior of mortars and concretes containing MSWI bottom ashes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
New Formulations of Mortars and Concretes
Table 1 shows the new formulations of mortars and concretes studied. All the materials were
injected in cylindrical casts (h x d: 4 x 4 cm) and maturated at 20 ºC, for 90 d (monolithic samples).
Table 1. Formulations of mortars, concrete and reference materials submitted to bioleaching test.
Material
code
Bottom ash
of MSWI
[% w/w]
Coarse
aggregates
[% w/w]
Fine
aggregates
[% w/w]
Binder and other
reagents
[% w/w]
Water
[% w/w]
Type of
material
B2/1
70
0
14*
5
11
Mortar
B2/2
73
0
11**
5
11
Mortar
Ref_1
0
50
21***
5
24
Mortar
B3/1
46
0
30****
20
4
Concrete
Ref_2
0
56
24****
13
7
Concrete
*Fly ashes; **By-products of ore industry; ***Fly ashes from a coal power plant; ****Fine sand
205

Leaching Agent/Nutritive Medium and Inoculum
The leaching agent used in the bioleaching test was the nutritive medium defined in EN ISO
9888:1999. All the minerals needed by microorganisms are supplied through this medium, except
the organic carbon (C). The leaching agent was autoclaved at 1.4 bar gauge pressure, for 20 min.
The inoculum used in the bioleaching test was obtained from an activated sludge bench-scale
wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) working under continuous-flow. The WWTP feeding medium
had a similar composition to the bioleaching agent. Bacterium peptone (0.23 g.L-1) and yeast
extract (0.155 g.L-1) were used as the organic-C sources for the WWTP.
Bioleaching Test
For each monolithic sample, a set of assays (Table 2) were performed under batch conditions in
sterilized glass containers. The incubation was done at 20±2 ºC, in the darkness, during 28 days,
with slow mixing. Samples of the leaching agent were collected at different incubation times and
analyzed for (i) different chemical species, (ii) number of microorganisms (PCA nutritive agar
medium) and (iii) group/genus of the microbial population present at the end of the bioleaching test
(API biochemical tests).
Table 2. Assays performed in the bioleaching test for each mortar and concrete formulation.
Assay
code*
Monolithic
material
Leaching
agent
Inoculum
[CFU.mL-1]**
Organic-C***
[mg C.L-1]
Aim of the assay
MN+C+I
No
Added to all the
assays at
L/S = 10 L.kg-1
105
100
Inoculum activity
A+MN+I
Yes
105
No
Bioleaching without
organic-C source
A+MN+C+I
Yes
105
100
Bioleaching with
organic-C source
A+MN
Yes
No
No
Chemical leaching
*A: monolithic material, MN: nutritive medium, C: C-source, I: inoculum; **CFU: colony forming units; ***Sodium acetate
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figs. 1 and 2 shows the evolution of pH, Cl- and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the bioleaching
tests of mortar B2/1 and concrete B3/1. These were selected as representative results of the
experimental data, as the other materials presented similar behaviors. The pH showed an increase
in the beginning of the bioleaching test from a value of about 8.0 to a value of around 11.0. This
was due to the release of oxides and hydroxides from the cement matrices of mortars and
concretes. This can be a stress factor to the microbial populations present in the assays A+MN+I
and A-MN+C+I, as very few microbial populations are able to survive under such high pH. Despite
of these severe alkaline conditions, it was possible to register microbial growth, which was
evidenced by the pH decrease after 14 d of incubation in the assay A+MN+C+I. The pH decrease
is mainly due to the release of CO2 from aerobic microbial populations to the aqueous medium.
Concerning the ions with high mobility (Fig. 2, only Cl- are shown), their release to the leaching
medium was independent on the biological activity, being ruled by their concentration in the
monolithic materials, and their solubility and diffusivity to the aqueous medium.
Fig. 1. pH in the bioleaching test of the mortar B2/1 and concrete B3/1 (A: monolithic sample, MN:
nutritive medium, C: C-source, I: inoculum).
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
010 20 30
pH
Time (d)
B2/1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
010 20 30
pH
Time (d)
A+MN+I
A+MN+C+I
A+MN
B3/1
206

Fig. 2. Cl- and DOC in the bioleaching test of the mortar B2/1 and concrete B3/1 (A: monolithic
sample, MN: nutritive medium, C: C-source, I: inoculum).
The mortars released organic-C to the leaching medium, which can be attributed to the high
amount of bottom ashes used in their formulations. After 7 d of incubation, a decrease in the DOC
up to the end of the assays was registered, which can be attributed to its biological uptake. There
was an initial decrease on the number of microorganisms (Fig. 3) that can be due to the effect of
extreme alkaline conditions. After 7 d of incubation, the population started to grow
Fig. 3. Number of microorganisms in the bioleaching test of the mortar B2/1 and concrete B3/1 (A:
monolithic sample, MN: nutritive medium, C: C-source, I: inoculum).
The control medium in which no monolithic sample was added (MN+C+I) presented an average of
101 different microbial colonies with a relative diversity of 59.4% Pseudomonas, 34.7%
Enterobacteriaceae and 5.9% Staphylococci. In the bioleaching assays with the monolithic
materials, the number of different colonies was reduced for more than 50%, and the bacteria from
Pseudomonas genus was favored over the other groups by a relative number higher than 68.3%.
CONCLUSIONS
Under the experimental conditions tested, the effect of mortars and concretes over the microbial
populations were more significant than the effect of the biological activity on the leaching behavior
of the monolithic materials. Long-term tests under continuous-flow should be used in future works.
y = 9.86x + 26.70
R² = 0.97
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
010 20 30
Chlorides
(mg.L-1)
Time (d)
II
B2/1
I
y = 4.27x + 29.23
R² = 0.90
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
010 20 30
Chlorides
(mg.L-1)
Time (d)
B3/1
y = -2.02x + 120.78
R² = 0.94
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
010 20 30
DOC
(mg.L-1)
Time (d)
III B2/1
y = -1.90x + 110.65
R² = 0.96
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
010 20 30
DOC
(mg.L-1)
Time (d)
B3/1
y = 27.23e0.396x
R² = 0.994
y = 867e0.403x
R² = 0.996
1.0E+00
1.0E+02
1.0E+04
1.0E+06
1.0E+08
1.0E+10
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
CFU
(nº.mL-1)
Time (d)
B2/1
x0.549
e0.827y =
R² = 0.981
x0.627
e10.38y =
R² = 0.975
1.0E+00
1.0E+02
1.0E+04
1.0E+06
1.0E+08
1.0E+10
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
CFU
(nº.mL-1)
Time (d)
A+MN+I A+MN+C+I
B3/1
207

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208