Tratamiento del polvo de aluminio mediante disolución acuosa

Abstract

Aluminium dust from aluminium remelting industry is a hazardous residue because of its high reactivity in the presence of water. In order to apply the new European Directive about landfill of waste, a study of its hydrolysis was carried out. The influence of temperature, time and pH on the hydrolysis of the aluminium dust was studied. The hydrolysed solids were characterized by XRD and AAS; in the aqueous solutions the pH and the ionic conductivity were determined. The evolved gases were analysed by mass spectrometry. The reactivity of the dust, before and after hydrolysis, was investigated by analysing the ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and metallic aluminium. By hydrolysis at 60°C and 48 h a much lower reactive material was obtained which could be disposed with minimal environmental impact.