Removal of B, Cr, Mo, and Se from wastewater by incorporation into hydrocalumite and ettringite.

Boron, chromium, molybdenum, and selenium often occur in high concentrations in fly ash leachates. During the leaching of fly ash in alkaline environments, hydrocalumite (Ca4Al2(OH)12(OH)2 x 6H2O) and ettringite (Ca6Al2(OH)12(SO4)3 x 26H20) form as secondary precipitates. In this study, the removal of B, Cr, Mo, and Se oxyanions from high pH waters by incorporation into hydrocalumite and ettringite was examined. Experiments were performed by precipitating these minerals in solutions containing B, Cr, Mo, and Se oxyanions at conditions relevant to lime-leaching of fly ash as well as to fly ash containing concrete. The uptake of all four anions by hydrocalumite and ettringite was high. Anion uptake by hydrocalumite was larger than that by ettringite, and hydrocalumite was able to reduce anion concentrations to below drinking water standards. Ettringite showed an anion preference in the order of B(OH)4- > SeO4(2-) > CrO4(2-) > MoO4(2-). In contrast, borate was least preferred by hydrocalumite. Coordination, size, and electronegativity are likely the factors that result in the observed differences among the oxyanions.