Metal emissions from Joule-heated vitrification systems

Vitrification demonstrations were conducted for surrogates of three inorgan ic wastewater sludges in a high-temperature, refractory-lined, slurry-fed m elter. The total particulate concentrations and melter decontamination fact ors were determined for selected elements. The decontamination factors were less than 10 for cadmium and lead in all three demonstrations. The deconta mination factors for chromium were less than 30 in the two demonstrations u sing refractories containing chromium, and they were greater than 150 for t he demonstrations using refractories without chromium. Except for one demon stration on a surrogate waste with a high sulfate content, decontamination factors were above 80 for the other heavy metals in the demonstrations.