VARIATION IN ELEMENTAL CONCENTRATIONS OF VETERINARY COLLEGE INCINERATOR ASHES WITH TIME OF SAMPLING

An analytical survey of elements in ashes sampled nationwide from vete rinary college incinerators was reported earlier (Thompson at al. 1995 ). It was of interest to observe the variation in the elemental compos ition of ashes sampled repeatedly with time from the same incinerator. In 1995, eleven samples of ash were taken It approximately weakly int ervals from the incinerator at the college of Veterinary Medicine at C ornell University in Ithaca, New York. Twenty four elements were deter mined using several analytical procedures as well as organic matter, p H and soluble salts. In general, the concentrations of the various ana lytes are remarkably similar as a function of the time of sampling. Wh ereas the concentrations of most elements were well below those found in ashes from municipal solid waste incinerators, elements such as Ca, Mg and P were much higher, expectedly deriving from animal bones, tee th and other tissues. Factors affecting the chemistry of elements duri ng incineration are discussed. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd