The Study on Resource Recovery of Sludge Containing Heavy Metals and its Residue Stabilization

  • Published : 2001.10.01

Abstract

An Experimental study was carried out to develop a simple method of processing copper waste sludge which is produced by PBC manufacturing. The procedure is based on leaching of wet sludge in 2N H$_2$SO$_4$, and the solid / liquid ratio is controlled approximately at 1/10. The recovery of copper is 85.4%, and pH of the leachate is 3.20. Adding ammonia solution into leachate forms ammine, and hydroxide compounds derived from other impurities in leachate at pH 10. The hydroxide compound can be treated by ferrite process, and the product is a stable oxide compound. Then the ammine solution is heated to evaporate ammonia, and the copper hydroxide is formed. Heating at 8$0^{\circ}C$by aeration, copper hydroxide is transformed into copper oxide with a purity of 98.4%. This process can recover most copper from sludge and the residue can be stabilized by the formation of a stable oxide compound which is not hazardous to environment.

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