This paper presents a discussion of the various chemical and physical
forms of metal compounds that may be used for spiking during the trial
burn or compliance test for hazardous waste combustion systems, It di
scusses the factors which should be considered in selecting the forms
of the spiking metals for organic (hot, high Btu, or high heating valu
e) waste streams, aqueous waste streams, and solid waste streams. The
paper focuses on the organic waste streams and compares the use of org
anic metal dispersion to the use of organometal compounds or aqueous s
olutions of metal compounds as spikes for these types of feed streams.
It is concluded that metal dispersions appear to form particulate whi
ch is in the appropriate micron range to tax the air pollution control
system's performance. Dispersions of all regulated metals are commerc
ially available in the required quantities for each application and th
ey are relatively easy to pump, and to meter. Dispersions can be formu
lated so that their heating values are high enough to maintain the req
uired elevated combustion and flame temperatures, and they are represe
ntative of the most common types of metal-bearing wastes sent to incin
erators. The dispersions can also be used to spike metal compounds int
o water-based waste streams.