DoE
United States
Department of Energy
Division of Environmental
Control Technology
Washington, DC 20545
LA-8773-SR
EPA
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Industrial Environmental
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park.NC 27711
EPA-600/7-81-07
April 1981
          Leaching  Experiments on
          Coal  Preparation Wastes:
          Comparisons of the EPA
          Extraction Procedure
          With  Other Methods

          Interagency
          Energy/Environment
          R&D  Program Report

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                  RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES


Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, have been grouped into nine series. These nine broad cate-
gories were established to facilitate further development and application of en-
vironmental technology. Elimination  of traditional  grouping was consciously
planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields.
The nine series are:

    1.  Environmental Health Effects Research

    2.  Environmental Protection Technology

    3.  Ecological Research

    4.  Environmental Monitoring

    5.  Socioeconomic Environmental  Studies

    6.  Scientific and Technical Assessment Reports (STAR)

    7.  Interagency  Energy-Environment Research and Development

    8.  "Special" Reports

    9.  Miscellaneous Reports

This report has been assigned to the INTERAGENCY ENERGY-ENVIRONMENT
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT series. Reports in this series result from the
effort  funded  under the 17-agency Federal Energy/Environment Research and
Development Program. These studies relate to EPA's mission to protect the public
health and welfare from adverse effects of pollutants associated with energy sys-
tems.  The goal of the Program is to assure the rapid development of domestic
energy supplies in an environmentally-compatible manner by providing the nec-
essary environmental data and control technology. Investigations include analy-
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                       EPA REVIEW NOTICE
This report has been reviewed by the participating Federal Agencies, and approved
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This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.

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                                              DoE LA-8773-SR

                                           EPA-600/7-81-072

                                                     April 1981

                                                           UC-90i
       Leaching  Experiments  on  Coal
    Preparation Wastes:   Comparisons
     of the EPA Extraction  Procedure
              With  Other  Methods
                             by
              R.C. Heaton,  P.L.  Wanek, E.F. Thode,*
                     E.J.  Cokal, and P.  Wagner

                  Los Alamos National Laboratory
                     University of California
                  Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545

             EPA/DoE Interagency  Agreement No.  IAG-D5-E68I
                    Program Element No.  INE825
EPA Project Officer: David A. Kirchgessner
      Industrial Environmental
       Research Laboratory
  Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                        DoE Project Officer. Charles Grua
                           Division of Environmental
                             Control Technology
                           Washington, DC 20545
    *Los Alamos Short-Term Visiting Staff Member. New Mexico State University, Department of
    Management, P.O. Box 3DJ, Las Cruces, NM 88003.
           Prepared for

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
   Office of Research and Development
       Washington, DC 20460  rr c  _
                       ?'
             and         -.-
                Division of Environmental Control Technology
                       Washington, DC 20545
                                                lljra;rl'' (5PL-16)

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               LEACHING EXPERIMENTS ON COAL PREPARATION WASTES:

        COMPARISONS OF THE EPA EXTRACTION PROCEDURE WITH OTHER METHODS


                                       by

                    R.  C.  Heaton,  P. L. Wanek,  E.  F. Thode,

                          E.  J. Cokal, and  P.  Wagner



                                   ABSTRACT

          Mineral wastes  from seven  coal  preparation  plants,  located in
     the  Illinois  Basin,  the  Appalachian  Region, and  the  West  have been
     leached in  accordance  with  the EPA extraction procedure published in
     the  Federal  Register  dated  May  19,  1980.  This is one  of  the tests
     required for the classification of solid wastes under RCRA.   When ex-
     amined according to the procedures set forth in the Federal  Register,
     all  of the  coal  waste  leachates  had trace  element  concentrations
     below  the maximum set  by EPA.  Results of the EPA leaching procedure
     compare  favorably with  those of  our  own  leaching experiments  for
     those  elements which were analyzed (Ag, As, Ba,  Cd, Crs Hg, Pb, Se).
     However, we  note  that  coal  wastes  release  substantial  quantities of
     other  trace  elements  not included  in  the  protocols  at the  present
     time  (Fe,  Al,  Ni, Mn, Zn,   Cu).   In  addition,  the requirement that
     the  test  leachate be  maintained at pH <  5 has  the effect  of estab-
     lishing  an  abnormal  environment for  those  wastes that are  neutral
     or alkaline.
I.    INTRODUCTION
     The  United  States  Congress,  in  the  fall of  1976,  enacted  the  Resource

Conservation  and Recovery  Act  (RCRA), designed  to establish  a  comprehensive

program for management of solid industrial  and urban wastes.   This act requires

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  to promulgate a series of regulations

which classify solid  wastes as  hazardous  or  non-hazardous and  which set forth

various protocols  for disposing of  these  wastes.   Among the criteria  used to

determine whether  a solid  waste  is to be considered  hazardous,  by virtue of

its ability  to  contaminate  aqueous  drainages, are  the results  of  a standard

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leaching procedure.  This  test  is  set forth in detail  in  the Federal  Register
(1), but in  essence  involves  leaching the solid material  with  deionized water
under rigidly  defined  conditions.    In  past work  on  coal  preparation  wastes,
we at the  Los  Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL)  have used  similar procedures
for  scientific  studies of  the  environmental  weathering and  leaching  of these
wastes.   Because  of  this experience we  are  in a unique position  to  make com-
parisons between  the RCRA  leaching procedure and our own environmental simula-
tion studies  on  coal  cleaning  wastes.   This report summarizes  our recent re-
searches in this area.
     In the  following  discussion we first present the results of RCRA leaching
tests carried out on refuse from seven different coal  cleaning plants.   We then
compare these  results  with those  obtained using  related  procedures  which  we
have developed  during  the course  of our own work and,  finally, we offer some
comments regarding the RCRA procedures as they relate to coal wastes.

II.  RESULTS OBTAINED USING THE EPA  EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
     Seven mineral wastes  from  coal preparation plants  in the  Illinois Basin,
the  Appalachian Region and the West were leached in accordance with the EPA ex-
traction procedure published in the Federal  Register dated  May 19,  1980. (1)
This, in essence, amounts  to using  lOOg of waste, ground to pass through  a 9.3
mm  standard  sieve (-3/8"), adding   1600  m£  of  deionized water to the waste and
agitating  for  24  hours in an extractor  designed to insure that all sample sur-
faces are  continuously brought into contact with  well-mixed extraction fluid.
     The pH  values of  the mixtures  must be  monitored during the course of the
extraction  and,  in those  cases  in which the pH is  greater  than 5, adjustment
must be made by addition of 0.5N  acetic acid.   At the  end  of  the 24 hour ex-
traction period,  the solids are removed  by  filtration,  and  the concentrations
of  eight elements (Ag, As, Ba, Cd,  Cr,  Hg,  Pb, Se) in  the filtrate are deter-
mined.  The  results  of these determinations with seven  coal  preparation wastes
are  presented  in  Tables I and  II,  while the analytical  details  may be found in
the  Experimental  Section of this report.
     Table  I shows the  initial  and final pH values for each of the  samples stud-
ied.  The  pH was well   below 5  in  all cases except for plant  D,  which  is  locat-
ed  in  the western U.  S.   A comparatively small amount  (35  m£)  of 0.5N  acetic
acid was  sufficient  to maintain the required  pH of 5 throughout the  course of
the  extraction for  this  sample.    This  imposed acidic  pH probably represents

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                                   TABLE I
                    INITIAL AND FINAL pH VALUES FOR COAL
             WASTE LEACHATES USING THE EPA EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
     Plant3
3.1
-
4.2
2.8
-
2.2
3.3
-
3.2
9.6
35 mS,
5.0
4.1
-
3.8
3.1
-
2.6
3.3
-
2.7
pH, initial
Acetic Acid  added
pH, final
aPlants A, B, C:  high-sulfur, Illinois Basin waste.
 Plant D:   low-sulfur, Western Waste.
 Plant G:   low-sulfur, Appalachian Waste.
 Plants I, K:  high-sulfur, Appalachian waste.
an abnormal  circumstance for  the  western coal waste sample,  but  is certainly
typical of many coal wastes from the eastern part of the country.
     The results of the elemental analyses are presented in Table II  A cursory
examination  of this table  reveals that  many of the  elements are  present  at
                                   TABLE II
                  CONCENTRATIONS (ppm) OF TOXICITY INDICATOR
        ELEMENTS IN COAL WASTE LEACHATES FROM SEVEN COAL PREPARATION
                                   PLANTS

Plant     A        B        C        D        G        I        K       HDWSa
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
<0.006
0.024
<0.06
<0.003
<0.005
<0.001
<0.012
0.0015
<0.006
0.100
0.14
<0.004
0.023
<0.001
<0.012
0.0035
<0.006
0.007
0.08
<0.003
0.010
<0.001
<0.012
0.0011
<0.006
<0.001
1.4
<0.003
<0.005
<0.001
<0.012
0.0016
<0.006
<0.001
0.08
<0.003
<0.005
<0.001
<0.012
0.0020
<0.006
0.016
<0.06
<0.003
<0.017
<0.001
<0.012
0.0017
<0.006
0.096
<0.06
<0.003
<0.005
<0.001
<0.012
0.0038
5.0
5.0
100
1.0
5.0
0.2
5.0
1.0
 100 x Primary Drinking Water Standard.

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levels  below  the  detection  limits of  the analytical  methods  used.   In  only
three instances do  any  of the values exceed the  primary  drinking water  stand-
ards.   These  cases are the  arsenic values for plants  B  and K and the  barium
value for  plant D.  However, the  limits  specified for these elements in  non-
hazardous wastes are 100 times the primary drinking water  standards (1) and all
of  the  values  in  Table  II  are  at least  an  order  of  magnitude  below  these.
     Statistical analyses were  carried out  in  order  to  determine the  prob-
abilities, based on the  analytical  data,  that the true concentrations  of the
various elements equal  or exceed either the primary drinking water standard or
the  "Hazardous  Waste"  limit  defined  in the Federal Register (1).  These  were
done by calculating the  so-called "p errors",  using the  one-sided t-test with
a  95 percent  confidence  interval.  The  methodology for  doing  this  has  been
published elsewhere (6).   Some  of the results  of  these calculations  are shown
in Table III.

                                   TABLE III
                  PROBABILITIES THAT THE TRUE  CONCENTRATIONS
                OF  TOXICITY INDICATOR ELEMENTS  EQUAL OR EXCEED
                 THE FEDERAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
Plant
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
A
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.5
<0.01
<0.5
<0.4
<0.01
B
<0.01
>0.99
<0.01
<0.8
0.02
<0.5
<0.4
<0.01
C
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.5
<0.01
<0.5
<0.4
<0.01
D
<0.01
<0.01
>0.99
<0.5
<0.01
0.99
<0.01
<0.5
<0.01
<0.5
<0.4
<0.01
     These results show that the probabilities for exceeding the drinking water
standards are  significant  only for Cds Hg and  Pb  generally,  and for As and Ba
in specific  cases.   The  probabilities for exceeding the "Hazardous Waste" lim-
its, which are 100 times the drinking water standards, are less than 0.01 in all
cases.

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III. COMPARISONS AMONG DIFFERENT LEACHING PROCEDURES
     Let us  first  consider static leaching experiments.   These are experiments
in which a fixed amount of liquid phase is maintained in contact with the solid
sample throughout  the  duration of the extraction, as opposed to cases in which
the liquid phase  is  allowed to flow  through  the  solid.   There are a number of
independent variables in such static experiments.   These are the geometric sur-
face area of the solid (mesh size), the liquid to solids ratio, the duration of
the extraction, the  degree and type of agitation  used,  the composition of the
liquid phase, the temperature, whether the reaction mixture is open to air, and
what components are determined in the final leachate.  All of our static leach-
ing experiments have been carried out using deionized water as the liquid phase
and fairly vigorous  agitation (90 strokes/min, 3 inches/stroke).  In addition,
the vast  majority have been  done at room temperature with  the  extractor open
to air.  With the exception of the presence of air, these conditions are compar-
able to those called for in the EPA procedure when applied to acidic coal wastes.
Consequently we  are  left  free to examine  the effects of the  liquid to solid
ratio, the mesh size and the extraction time.   The other variables still deserve
comment but that will be reserved for Part IV of this report.
     The one-day static  leach experiments which we  have  routinely  carried out
in the past  are  directly comparable to the EPA extraction procedure.  The only
difference is that we have used liquid to solid ratios of either 4 to 1 or 5 to
1, whereas the EPA test calls for a ratio of 16 to 1 during the extraction, and
20 to  1  in  the  final  samples.   The concentrations  of  the  toxicity indicator
elements in  the  leachates are presented  in Table  IVa for the EPA  test and in
Table Va for our own one-day static leach.  (The values in Table IVa are closely
related to those  in  Table II, but have been  adjusted to represent the concen-
trations in the original  leachate at a 16 to 1 liquid to solids ratio.  This is
necessary in  order to eliminate  the effects  of  the dilution of the leachate
before the  filtration  and  analysis.)   If equilibrium were  reached during the
extraction,   then  one would  expect the concentrations  of the elements in the
leachate to  be  independent  of  the  liquid  to solid ratio provided  that the
supply of the original  elements in the sample was  not exhausted.   Comparison of
Tables IVa and Va reveals that these extractions are not at equilibrium.  There-
fore,  the concentrations  of the elements in the leachates are at least partially
kinetically  controlled.   Under these circumstances  it becomes  advantageous to

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use a low liquid to solids ratio,  because this leads to more concentrated leach-
ates which are usually easier to analyze.
     A more  direct comparison  can  be  made by converting the  leachate  concen-
trations to  the  total  amounts of each  element leached per unit of solid waste.
These results are presented in Tables IVb and Vb.   If the release of an  element
is  strictly  kinetically controlled, these  data should  be  exactly comparable.
The elements Cr and, to a lesser degree, Cd seem to compare fairly well  between
these two  methods.   However,   much  more  As was leached using  the EPA  method,
while our own procedure seemed to yield higher Pb values.  The As results might
be  explained  by  noting that the analytical methods used for As were different,
however the Pb results remain unexplained.
     Table IVc and  Vc  show the leachate compositions expressed as the fraction
of  each  element  originally  present in  the solid which  is dissolved  in  the
leachate.  These  results  exactly  parallel those in Tables IVb and Vb.  However
it  is  interesting to note that Cd  seems  to be highly mobile,  with large per-
centages being extracted,  whereas other elements are  extracted  to much lesser
degrees.
     Results of extractions done on 20 mesh samples are shown in Tables  Via, VIb,
and Vic.   In general there is little change between these and the -3/8"  samples
described in  Tables  Va,  Vb and Vc.  Since  reduction  of the particle size from
3/8" to 20 mesh represents a substantial increase in the geometric surface area,
one must conclude that the actual effective surface area is much larger than the
geometric  surface,  or that  the surface area does  not affect  the leaching be-
haviors of the various elements.  The former conclusion seems more likely. Note
that  cadmium,  which does  not  seem  to  fit this analysis,  is highly mobile and
may  be  much  more  sensitive to minor  changes in  accessible surface area than
the other, less mobile elements.
     Longer  term  static  leaches are summarized in Tables Vila, Vllb, and VIIc.
In  most  cases,  the amounts of  leached  elements  can be seen to remain constant
or  increase  with  the  duration  of the extraction.   While  this  agrees with our
conception  of how the  leaching process  works,  it is useful  to  note that the
differences  between  the  one-day leaches and the multi-day leaches are not very
large.   This  suggests  that most of  the action, at  least for As, Cd, Cr and Pb,
takes place  in the early part of the experiment (the first 24 hours).
     While our static leaching  experiments were designed primarily to determine
what might  be leached from a coal waste, our dynamic  (column) leaching experi-

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                       TABLE IVa
ADJUSTED* LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED USING THE RCRA
   LEACHING PROCEDURE FOR COAL WASTE SAMPLES (ppm)
Plant A B C D G I
Element
Ag <0.008 <0.008 <0.008 <0.008 <0.008 <0.008
As 0.030 0.125 0.009 <0.001 <0.001 0.020
Ba <0.075 0.175 0.100 0.075 0.100 <0.075
Cd <0.004 <0.005 <0.004 <0.004 <0.004 <0.004
Cr <0.006 0.029 0.012 <0.006 <0.006 <0.021
Hg <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001
Pb <0.015 <0.015 <0.015 <0.015 <0.015 <0.015
Se 0.0019 0.0044 0.0014 0.0020 0.0025 0.0021
pH 4.2 2.2 3.2 5.0 3.8 2.6
^Adjusted to reflect the original leachate composition at a 16 to 1
solids ratio, before dilution to the final 20 to 1 ratio.
TABLE IVb
LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED USING THE RCRA LEACHING
PROCEDURE FOR COAL WASTE SAMPLES. RESULTS EXPRESSED AS
mg ELEMENT LEACHED PER Kg SOLID WASTE
Plant A B C D G I
Element
Ag <0.120 <0.120 <0.120 <0.120 <0.120 <0.120
As 0.480 2.00 0.140 <0.020 <0.020 0.320
Ba <1.20 2.80 1.60 1.20 1.60 <1.20
Cd <0.060 <0.080 <0.060 <0.060 <0.060 <0.060
Cr <0.100 0.460 0.200 <0.100 <0.100 <0.340
Hg <0.020 <0.020 <0.020 <0.020 <0.020 <0.020
Pb <0.240 <0.240 <0.240 <0.240 <0.240 <0.240
Se 0.030 0.070 0.022 0.032 0.040 0.034
pH 4.2 2.2 3.2 5.0 3.8 2.6
TABLE IVc
K

<0.008
0.120
<0.075
<0.004
<0.006
<0. 001
<0.015
0.0048
2.7
liquid to





K

<0.120
1.92
<1.20
<0.060
<0.100
<0.020
<0.240
0.075
2.7

LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED USING THE RCRA LEACHING PROCEDURE
FOR COAL WASTE SAMPLES. RESULTS EXPRESSED AS THE PERCENT OF THE
ORIGINALLY PRESENT THAT APPEARS IN THE LEACHATE
Plant A B C D G I
Element
Ag - - - <32
As 0.86 2.1 0.64 - <0.11
Ba
Cd <25 <20 <5.4 <9.7 <18
Cr <0.17 0.74 0.29 <0.07 <0.11
Hg - - - .
Pb <0.49 <0.71 <0.48 <0.86 <1.0
Se 0.32 1.1 0.26
PH 4.2 2.2 3.2 5.0 3.8 2.6
ELEMENT

K









2.7

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  Plant
                                    TABLE Va
            LEACHATE  COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED FROM ONE-DAY SHAKER LEACHES
             OF  COAL  WASTE  SAMPLES (-3/8").  RESULTS EXPRESSED AS ppm
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
-
0.008
-
0.0014
0.001
-
0.048
-
7.1
-
-
-
0.024
0.060
-
0.300
-
2.2
-
0.004
-
0.020
0.032
-
0.32
-
3.5
-
.054
-
.015 .010
.094
-
0.15
0.002
2.6 3.0
                                   TABLE Vb
               LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED  FROM ONE-DAY  LEACHES
           OF  COAL WASTE SAMPLES  (-3/8").  RESULTS  EXPRESSED AS mg
                      ELEMENTS LEACHED PER Kg  SOLID  WASTE
Plant
                         B
                                             D
Element
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH

-
0.04
-
0.0068
0.005
-
0.240
-
7.1

-
-
-
0.12
0.30
-
1.5
-
2.2

-
0.02
-
0.10
0.16
-
1.6
-
3.5

-
0.270
-
0.075 0.050
0.470
-
0.750
0.010
2.6 3.0
Plant
                                   TABLE Vc
              LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED FROM ONE-DAY SHAKER
           LEACHES OF COAL WASTE SAMPLES (-3/8").  RESULTS EXPRESSED
               AS THE PERCENT OF THE ELEMENT ORIGINALLY PRESENT
                         THAT APPEARS IN THE LEACHATE
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
pH
-
0.07
-
2.8
0.008
-
0.49
-
7.1
-
-
-
30
0.48
-
4.4
-
2.2
-
0.09
-
8.9
0.23
-
3.2
-
3.5

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                                   TABLE  Via
          LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED  FROM ONE-DAY  SHAKER LEACHES
         OF COAL WASTE SAMPLES (-20 MESH).   RESULTS  EXPRESSED AS  ppm
Plant
  Ag
  As
  Ba
  Cd
  Cr
  Hg
  Pb
  Se
  PH
A
<0.008
<0.008
2.9
<0.001
<0.20
0.048
7.1

LEACHATE
OF COAL
B
-
-
48
0.156
-
0.320
2.2

COMPOSITIONS
WASTE SAMPLES
C
<0.008
<0.004
8.9
0.032
<0.20
0.320
3.5
TABLE VIb
OBTAINED FROM
(-20 MESH).
ELEMENT LEACHED PER Kg
A
<0.040
<0.040
0.0070
<0.005
<1.00
0.24
B
-
-
0.190
0.780
-
1.60
C
<0.040
<0.020
0.100
0.160
<1.00
1.60
D G I K
-
-
9.3
.0018 0.080
-
-
4.3 3.2

ONE-DAY SHAKER LEACHES
RESULTS EXPRESSED AS mg
SOLID WASTE
D G I K
-
-
0.031 0.10
0.007 0.40
-
-
Plant
  Ag
  As
  Ba
  Cd
  Cr
  Hg
  Pb
  Se                                                       -
  pH        7.1          2.2         3.5                  4.3        3.2

                                   TABLE Vic
           LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED FROM ONE-DAY SHAKER LEACHES
OF  COAL WASTE SAMPLES  (-20 MESH).  RESULTS EXPRESSED AS THE PERCENT OF THE ELEMENT
                ORIGINALLY PRESENT THAT APPEARS IN THE LEACHATE
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
<0.07
-
2.9
<0.008
-
0.49
-
7.1
_
-
48
1.2
-
4.7
-
2.2
<0.09
-
8.9
0.23
-
3.2
-
3.5
-
-
9.3
0.008
-
-
-
4.3

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                                                TABLE Vila
                       LEACHATE COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED FROM LONG TERM SHAKER LEACHES
                         OF  COAL WASTE SAMPLES (-3/8").  RESULTS EXPRESSED IN ppm
Plant
Days
Ag
As
Bg
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH


A
28
-
0.008
-
0.0003
0.0012
-
0.006
-
7.6

LEACHATE
B
22
-
-
-
0.035
0.116
-
0.280
-
1.9

COMPOSITIONS
C D G I
28 25
-
0.175
-
0.124 0.01
0.240 0.10
-
0.360
-
1.9 2.2
TABLE Vllb
OBTAINED FROM LONG TERM SHAKER LEACHES
K
25
-
3.0
-
0.041
-
-
0.004
0.036
2.0


OF COAL WASTE SAMPLES (-3/8"). RESULTS EXPRESSED AS mg

Plant
Days
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
pH


OF COAL

A
28
-
0.04
-
0.0014
0.006
-
0.030
-
7.6

LEACHATE
ELEMENT
B
28
-
-
-
0.18
0.58
-
1.40
-
1.9

COMPOSITIONS
WASTE SAMPLES (-3/8").
LEACHED PER Kg SOLID WASTE
C D G I
28 25
-
0.88
-
0.62 0.05
1.20 0.50
-
1.80
-
1-9 2.2
TABLE VIIc
OBTAINED FROM LONG TERM SHAKER LEACHES

K
25
-
15.0
-
0.205
-
-
0.020
0.180
2.0


RESULTS EXPRESSED AS THE PERCENT OF THE ELEMENT
ORIGINALLY PRESENT THAT APPEARS IN THE LEACHATE
Plant
Days
Ag -
As
Bg
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
A
28
-
0.071
-
0.583
0.010
-
0.061
-
7.6
B
28
-
-
-
45.0
0.935
-
4.12
-
1.9
C D G I
28 25
-
4.0
-
55.4
1.74
-
3.60
-
1.9 2.2
K
25








2.0
10

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                          TABLE Villa
 LEACHABILITIES OF SELECTED ELEMENTS FROM COAL WASTE SAMPLES
(-3/8") OBTAINED FROM CONTINUOUS COLUMN LEACHING EXPERIMENTS.
    RESULTS EXPRESSED AS ppm FOR 162 WATER PER Kg SOLID

 Plant            A            B
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
-
0.016
-
0.0048
0.031
-
0.014
-
2.9-7.7
-
0.34
-
0.016
0.021
-
0.022
-
1.7-3.4
-
0.50
-
0.0072
0.050
-
0.0075
-
2.4-3.8
-
-
-
0.0026
0.0080
-
-
-
2.9-40
                          TABLE VHIb
 LEACHABILITIES OF SELECTED ELEMENTS FROM COAL WASTE SAMPLES
(-3/8") OBTAINED FROM CONTINUOUS COLUMN LEACHING EXPERIMENTS.
 RESULTS EXPRESSED AS mg ELEMENT LEACHED PER Kg SOLID WASTE

 Plant            A            B
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
-
0.26
-
0.077
0.49
-
0.22
-
2.9-7.7
-
5.3
-
0.26
0.39
-
0.35
-
1.7-3.4
-
0.80
-
0.12 0.042
0.80 0.13
-
0.12
-
2.4-3.8 2.9-4.0
                          TABLE VIIIc
 LEACHABILITIES OF SELECTED ELEMENTS FROM COAL WASTE SAMPLES
(-3/8") OBTAINED FROM CONTINUOUS COLUMN LEACHING EXPERIMENTS.
      RESULTS EXPRESSED AS THE PERCENT OF THE ELEMENT
       ORIGINALLY PRESENT THAT APPEARS IN THE LEACHATE

 Plant
Ag
As
Ba
Cd
Cr
Hg
Pb
Se
PH
-
0.46
-
32
0.82
-
0.44
-
2.9-7.7
-
5.7
-
66
6.4
-
1.0
-
1.7-3.4
-
3.6
-
10 13
1.2 0.14
-
0.24
-
2.4-3.8 2.9-4.0
                                                                                 11

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merits have  been  attempts  to simulate the weathering  of  an exposed waste pile.
We were primarily interested in studying the leaching of elements as a function
of time and the  effects of intermittent  leaching.   Thus  these experiments are
more difficult to  compare to  the EPA procedure  than the static leaches.  How-
ever, a comparison  can  be made by  integrating the  concentration versus volume
curve in each  element out to  a volume  representing a 16 to 1 liquid to solids
ratio.   This gives the total amount of a given element extracted in that volume.
These results were then used to calculate the amounts extracted per unit solids
shown in Table VHIb.  The values shown in Tables Villa and VIIIc were then de-
rived from  those  in Table VHIb.   One  should  note  that most of the extraction
takes place early  in  the experiment,  so  that the choice of  the  upper volume
limit to the integration  does not drastically affect the results.   In general
the  column  leaching experiments  show higher extraction  efficiencies  than the
static  experiments.This  is especially  so  for  As and to  lesser  degrees for Cd
and  Cr.   Pb  shows  the reverse  trend.   This might be due  to reprecipitation
caused by the increase in pH with time, but this  is speculation.
     In summary, the EPA  leaching procedure compares well with those procedures
which we  have been using  in  our  work on coal  preparation wastes  for  the last
several years,  at  least  to the  extent to which these  various  methods can be
compared.    The major difference  between our procedures  and  the  EPA procedure,
in the  case of acidic coal preparation wastes,  is  the higher liquid to solids
ratio used  in  the EPA method.  This  high  ratio  has the effect of diluting the
leachate and rendering the chemical  analyses  more  difficult.   In  the case of
non-acidic  coal  wastes,  there is the additional  difference that acetic acid is
added  to  the  extraction  mixture in  the EPA method.   For coal  wastes which
are not naturally acidic  this creates an artificial environment and complicates
the scientific interpretation of  the results.

IV. THE EPA  LEACHING PROCEDURE AS APPLIED TO COAL WASTES
     One must remember that the EPA leach test is designed to  satisfy a regula-
tory need to classify solid wastes as  hazardous or not.  As such it must apply
to a wide  variety of wastes,   including municipal,  chemical  and industrial by-
products, whose properties and chemical behaviors may differ substantially.  It
seems  unlikely that  any  single  test can be entirely appropriate  in all these
different types  of waste, and thus  it  is  important for one to understand what
the  limitations  of the test are  for  various types of waste.  In the following

12

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discussion we  shall  record  our observations on  the applicability  of the EPA
leaching  test  to  coal  preparation  wastes.   The  most important  question  is
whether the  leaching  test is an accurate indicator of the potential of a given
waste to harm the environment and our considerations have been carried out with
this in mind.
     Past  studies  have  revealed  that the  elements  with  the  highest discharge
severities in  leachates  from coal  preparation  wastes are Fe, Al,  Ni,  Mn, Zn,
Cu  and  Cd as well as the acidity (2,3,4).   The elements addressed  in the EPA
leaching test are those included in the Federal  Primary Drinking Water Standards,
namely Ag, As,  Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb and Se.  The only element common to these two
groups is Cd. Iron has by far the highest discharge severity,  based on the MEG/
MATE system  (5),  followed roughly in order by the other elements listed.  Some
of the elements included  in the EPA procedure, notably Ag, Hg and Ba, are typi-
cally present at  levels below the detection limits of the methods used for the
analysis  of  the   leachates.    Furthermore,  the  parent  coal  waste  materials
often  contain  these  elements  in  such  minimal  quantities  that we  have only
rarely  attempted  to  determine them  in  our research  on coal  waste  leaching
behavior.   Consequently,  in the  case of typical  coal  preparation  wastes,  we
conclude  that  the EPA  leaching test  in its present form does  not  address the
elements  of  real  concern.   If the elements in  the secondary  drinking water
standards were included in  the EPA leaching  test,  then the situation would be
markedly  improved, since  Fe,  Mn,  Zn and Cu would be covered.   This would leave
only Al and  Ni  as elements of potential concern not considered in the leaching
test.
     When  acidic  coal  wastes  are  considered,  the  leachates  are sufficiently
acid so that no acetic acid additions are called for.  Under these circumstances
the EPA test is essentially a water leach and reasonably simulates the acid-base
conditions one might  expect in a more or less stagnant coal waste pile.  Since
acidic  coal  wastes are the most  abundant  type and since  they  represent the
wastes of most  concern in  the  eastern  coal fields  of  the  United States, this
type of test seems  entirely appropriate.  However, alkaline coal wastes, typi-
cally from the  western  United  States,   are treated differently  under the EPA
test.  When  acidified to  a pH of  five  with acetic acid, these wastes are sub-
jected to an  artificial  environment which they are not likely to encounter under
normal  circumstances.   We believe that this  test  becomes  unnecessarily severe
for those elements which  are mobilized under acidic conditions  while ignoring

                                                                             13

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the possible  effects  on  elements which may be alkaline mobile such as selenium
and arsenic.
     At first glance,  one  would expect the results of a leaching experiment to
depend on the size of the particles in the solid sample.   This is because small
particles have a  higher  geometric surface area per  unit  mass than large ones.
However, our  experience  with  coal wastes has been that  the  particle size does
not strongly  affect the results of our leaching experiments.   Since  the mesh
size seems  unimportant,  one  might as well choose one  that is convenient.  The
9.3 mm  (-3/8")  size  is  probably the  most convenient for this  type  of waste.
     Agitation of the  sample  during the leaching procedure  is  most important.
The EPA test  procedure  calls  for  vigorous  agitation.    In our  opinion such
vigorous  agitation   is  preferred  over  stagnant  leaching because a  vigorous
agitation is  easier  to define and to reproduce from one experiment to the next
and among different laboratories.
     The matter of time is  necessarily a compromise.   The time needs to be long
enough so that whatever chemical reactions are involved can proceed to a reason-
able degree and yet short enough to complete the experiment in a timely fashion.
With high sulfur coal wastes that do not have any self-neutralizing capacity, the
24 hour extraction  time  seems reasonable.   However,  some materials may not be-
come  severely acidic  for  several  days or  even  weeks.    Such  a delay  can  be
caused  by  the presence  of carbonate minerals  acting as  i_n  situ neutralizing
agents, which must  be  used up before the  pH  can  become very acidic.   Whatever
the cause,  such  a delay  in the  acid-releasing  character  of  a coal waste could
result in a rather toxic  material being erroneously classified as non-hazardous.
The only straightforward  way to avoid this problem is to run  leaching experiments
for longer periods of time.
     One factor  which is  important  in  the  case of coal wastes,  but  which may
not matter  for other types of solid wastes,  is the  presence of air during the
leaching process.  The leachates from coal wastes are acidic because the oxi-
dation of pyrite yields sulfuric acid as a by-product.  If access of air to the
solid  is  restricted,  then less  oxidation  occurs and  the leachates  are less
acidic.  In the  case  of a 24  hour leaching experiment, most  of  the  acid in-
volved was  generated  before  the actual leach was  begun,  so  that access to air
may not be  important.  However,  in longer leaching experiments, the generation
of acid  during the  experiment  may  be  significant and restriction  of the air
intake may  lead to artifically low results.

14

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     With reference  to coal waste samples,  liquid  to solid ratios of  20  to 1
for the  final  analysis tax the detection limits of  the  analytical procedures.
Use of  a lower  liquid to solids ratio, for example  4 or 5 to  1,  would allow
greater confidence in  the analytical  results and their implications concerning
pollution potentials
     Finally, we would like to offer one comment on  the mechanical aspects of
the extraction procedure.   In  order  to facilitate the rapid  separation of the
leachate from  the  solid residue,  thus eliminating long contact times of leach-
ate and residue following the 24-hour agitation period, we have found it advan-
tageous to  use a pre-filtaring step  with a hard, ashless filter paper (Whatman
#541) and a Buchner porcelain funnel  prior to final  filtration through a Mini-
pore  0.45u  filter.  Even a glass fiber  pre-filter,  as  mentioned in  the  ex-
traction procedure,  offers little relief  from  prolonged  separations  of mate-
rials containing clays, and the pre-filtering with the paper is much more rapid
than the centrifuge method described  in the EPA test procedure.

V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
     Mineral  wastes  from  seven coal  preparation  plants,  located  in  various
parts of the  country,  have been leached in  accordance with the EPA extraction
procedure published  in  the Federal   Register  dated  May  19,  1980  (1).   When
judged according to  the toxicity criteria set  forth  in  this  procedure, all of
the coal  wastes  are non-hazardous.   The probabilities  that  any  of  the eight
elements examined  might actually  exceed the levels set  forth  in the procedure
are all less than one percent.   The probabilities of the elements exceeding the
federal primary drinking water standards are significant only for Cd, Hg and Pb.
     When compared to  leaching tests which we  have  used over the past several
years in our research on coal  wastes, the EPA test gives  comparable results for
those  elements which  are  examined.   The primary differences  between  our pro-
cedures  and that prescribed  in the   Federal  Register is  the  use  of  a higher
liquid to solids  ratio in the  EPA test  and  the requirement that alkaline sys-
tems be acidified with  acetic acid.
     With respect to  coal preparation wastes we can make  the following comments
concerning  the  EPA extraction  procedure.   First,  the elements  Fe,  Al,  Ni  and
Mn, which have the highest discharge  severities in coal waste leachates, are not
addressed by the  method.  Second  we  believe  that  the  acidification  of  non-
acidic materials is  inappropriate  in the case of coal wastes.   Third, the time

                                                                             15

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 of  filtration  can  be  significantly  shortened  by  introducing  a  pre-filtering  step
 before  filtration  through the Millipore  filer.   In addition to these  concerns
 there  remains the  question  of whether  longer  extraction times should be con-
 sidered  and  whether  the  extraction  vessel  should  be  left  open  to the air.

 REFERENCES

 1.  Federal Register, 45  (98), 33127  (May  19, 1980).
 2.  Wewerka,  E.  M. ,  Williams, J.  M. ,  "Trace Element Characterization of Coal
    Wastes  -  First  Annual  Report"  EPA-600/7-78-028  (March  1978).(NTIS  # =
    LA-6835-PR)
 3.  Wewerka, E. M., Williams,  J.  M.,  Vanderborgh, N.  E.,  Harmon, A. W. ,
    Wagner,  P.,  Wanek,  P. L.  and Olsen, J. D.,  "Trace Element Characterization
    of Coal Wastes  Second Annual Progress  Report",  EPA-600/7-78-028a (July  1978).
    (NTIS # =  PB-284-450)
 4.  Wewerka, E. M., Williams,  J.  M. Wangen, L. E.,  Bertino,  J. P.,  Wanek,  P.  L.,
    Olsen, J.  D.,  Thode, E.  F. and Wagner, P.,  "Trace Element Characterization
    of Coal Wastes  -  Third Annual Progress  Report",  EPA-600/7-79-144  (June 1979).
    (NTIS # =  PB-80-166150)
 5.   Cleland,  J.  G.  and  Kingsbury, G.  L. ,  "Multimedia Environmental Goals  for
    Environmental  Assessment.   Vols.  I an  II"   Environmental  Protection Agency
    reports    EPA-600/7-77-136a    and   EPA-600/7-77-136b   (November   1977).
 6.   Natrella,  M.  G., "Experimental  Statistics",  National  Bureau  of Standards
    Handbook 91, U. S. Government Printing  Office (1966)  pp. 3-13.

 EXPERIMENTAL

 A.  RCRA Leaching Experiments
     The  procedure  published in the  Federal   Register  of May  19,  1980  (1)
 was carried  out with the following  modifications.   First, we  used pre-dried
 samples, since no  fresh  (wet) material was available.   Second we  modified  the
 filtration procedure, as described below.    Finally  we  allowed the  pH of  the
 Plant  D  sample to  become a  little lower than the  specified value when making
 the initial addition  of acetic acid.
16

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     Short-term pre-tests  were  made on all samples by adding 400 ml. deionized
water to  25g solid,  thereby determining  initial  pH  values.   For those samples
with  a  pre-test pH  value less  than  5 and a history, according to prior LASL
leaching  procedures,  of  producing highly acidic  leachates,  no  recording  pH
meter  was  used  during  the  24-hour  test period,  thus   allowing  simultaneous
leaching  of several  samples.   Refuse from  Plants  B,  C, G, K and  I met those
criteria.   Accordingly, lOOg of -3/8"  (9 mm) material was put into a 1/2-gallon
(2-liter) polyethylene bottle, 1600 ml deionized  (Milli-Q) water was added, the
bottle capped, and the sample was swirled  by hand to assure thorough wetting of
the solid.  The initial pH was then recorded.  The bottle was placed on a plat-
form shaker on its side, and agitation was begun  at 90 3-in strokes per minute.
Since prior analysis had  shown  Plant A  waste  to  have  some self-neutralizing
capacity  in the  form of calcite, and  Plant  D waste had an initial  pre-test pH
value over  5,  those  wastes were leached separately, and the test was monitored
with a  recording  pH  meter.  No automatic  titrator  was  used.   The pH electrode
was fitted  through a rubber stopper which was covered with plastic wrap to pre-
vent contamination from the rubber.   Thus  the system was essentially sealed,  as
were the-samples not monitored with the recording pH meter.  The pH of the Plant
A refuse  leachate remained below 5 for the test period,  and no addition of acid
was necessary.  For Plant D waste, the pH was adjusted manually with 0.5N acetic
acid.   An initial 10-ml increment of acid  lowered the pH from 9.6 to 4.1.   Four
more additions of  acid  were made at  2.5  hr,  3.75 hr,  18.5 hr, and 20 hr after
agitation was  begun  to  maintain the   pH  below  5.2.   A peak value  of  5.75 was
reached overnight.   A total of 35 ml acetic acid was added.
     After  the samples  were  removed from  the shaker, final  pH values were re-
corded  for  those  samples  not monitored  continuously.   Vacuum  filtration was
begun according to the  Federal  Register procedure on Plant B and C samples and
the remaining  unfiltered  samples were refrigerated.  After 4  hours filtering
was only partially  complete.   The vacuum was  shut  off overnight.   After  19
hours (5  hours with vacuum  turned  on) filtering was still  incomplete,  though
several   changes  of pre-filters as  well  as final  0.45u  filters  had been  made.
At that  time  a  pre-filtering step using a Buchner  funnel  with Whatman #541
paper was added.   Remaining  samples were  filtered without  incident,  using the
Buchner  pre-filter step.   400 ml  water was  added  to bottles as a rinse, and
that water  added to  the filter,  except for Plant D, in  which 365 ml was added,
making  the  final  volume  of  liquid 2000  ml  in  all  cases.   Aliquots  of each

                                                                              17

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 sample were poured  into  polyethylene  bottles for analysis and all  samples were
 stored in the  refrigerator  prior to analysis.   (No acid  was  added for preser-
 vation).
      Table IX summarizes the methods used to analyze the leachates.   The result-
 ant analytical data  are  shown in Table X.   In  Table  X, X is  the mean of n in-
 dependent measurements for the sample.   The letter "t" represents the student's
 t for a  =  0.05 based upon pooled standard  deviations for the sample set.  The
 calculations of  the  p errors are described  in  Part II of this  report.   The  p
 error (DWS) represents  the  probability,  based on the  analytical  data, that the
 true concentration of the  element equals or exceeds the Interim  Drinking Water
 Standard.  The p  error  (RCRA) represents the same  probability relative to 100
 times the Interim Drinking Water Standards.

 B.   LASL Leaching Experiments
      1-    Static (Shaker) Leaches.   Representative  samples  were  obtained  by
 splitting from barrels of pre-dried  refuse.   All samples leached  were no great-
 er  than  3/8  in.  (9 mm)  in  particle   size.   In some  cases,  the samples were
 pulverized by alumina shell  plates  to -20 mesh.  Previously  split samples were
 tumbled to mix; portions were weighed  into flasks and  deionized water was added.
 The sample size was  50g.   The amount of water added  was 200 ml  for Plants A, B,
 C,  and G  (4:1  liquid: sol id)  and 250 ml for  Plants  K  and I (5:1  liquid: sol id).
 The  container  used  was  a  500-ml Erlenmeyer  flask  with  a ground glass  neck,
 fitted with  a glass  chimney to allow air access  without allowing  liquid to
 splash out  during agitation  (Fig.  1).  The  refuse/water  mixtures were placed
 on a platform  shaker  and agitated at  90 3-in strikes  per minute.   All leaching
 referred to  in  this  report  was done at  room temperature,  generally around
 22° C.  After  various  leaching  times,  samples were  removed from  the  shaker and
 filtered by  vacuum  filtration,   using  Whatman  #541  paper for the first step,
 followed by  either  gravity   filtration  through a  fine filter paper (Whatman
 #42), as with  Plant  A,  B,  C, and G  samples or through a Millipore 0.45|j filter
 (vacuum filtration), as with  samples  from Plants K  and I.   Leachates then were
 diluted by  addition  of 10% 6N  HN03 for preservation  of sample prior to anal-
 ysis.

      2.   Dynamic  (Column) Leaches.  Coal  or refuse  material   (0.5  kg),  crushed
 to -3/8  in.,  was packed into a Pyrex column 70 cm long  by  4.6  cm  diam.  in  a

18

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                                   TABLE IX
           ANALYTICAL METHODS USED FOR THE RCRA LEACHING EXPERIMENTS
ELEMENT
                             AA,
                             AA,
                                   METHOD
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmi urn
Chromium
Lead
Mercury
Selenium
Silver
(1) Borohydride Reduction.
(2) 1000 ppm Na instead of K.
(3) Air/C2H2 Flame.
(4) Persulfate oxidation not used.
                             AA, Hydride (1)
                             AA.
                             AA, Flame
N£0 flame (2)
Flame (3)
Flame
                             AA, Cold vapor (4)
                             AA, Hydride (1)
                             AA, Flame
1979 Methods Manual
 EPA EQUIV.  METHOD
        206.3
        208.1
        213.1
        218.1
        239.1
        245.1
        270.3
        272.1
vertical position.  The  leaching column was equipped with  a necked-down inlet
at  the  bottom for  introducing the  leachates.   A side arm. located  5 cm below
the  open  top served as an  effluent  outlet.   Both the upper  and  lower ends of
the  coal  or  refuse  bed were retained  in  the column with loosely packed glass-
wool plugs.   An  upward or countercurrent leachate flow was used in most of the
experiments  to prevent flow blockage from fine  sediments  that might settle to
the bottom of the column.
     The  leachate,  usually  deionized water,  was  fed  through the  packed column
in  one  of two ways.   Early experiments (Plants  A,  B, C) employ a gravity feed
from a  reservoir elevated above the column  inlet.  The flow was regulated by a
valve  located between the  reservoir and the  column  inlet.  Later experiments
used a  peristaltic pump  to feed the effluent through the  column.   Flow rates
used were  typically between 0.5 and 1.0 m£/min.   Measurements of leachate flow
and  pH  were  made at the column outlet.  Periodically, samples of leachate were
collected for analysis of total solids and trace  element composition.
                                                                              19

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     3.  Analytical Methods.  Cd,  Pb  and Cr were  determined in  the acidified
leachates by  atomic absorption spectrophotometry.   In the case  of  Cr,  an air
acetylene flame  was used.   As  was determined by  neutron activation analysis.
20


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                     TABLE X
ANALYTICAL RESULTS OF EPA EXTRACTION PROCEDURES
         FOR  SEVEN COAL WASTE  LEACHATES
                                       SELENIUM ppm
SILVER ppm
tUMLNI
Sample
HpO. Control
Plant A
Plaiit B
Plant C
Plant 0
Plant G
Plant I

HOAc, Control


Sample
H;0, Control
Plant A
Plant B
Plant C
Plant D
Plant G
Plant 1
Plant K
HCAc, Control

X ±
<.001
.024 ±
.100 i
00 / t
-..001
<.001
.016 ±

' 001


X ±
^.003
<.003
«. . 004
v.003
•- . 003
v . 003
«. 003
v.003
<.003

ts//n n
3
.001 3
. 004 3
.001 3
3
3
001 3

3
CADMIUM

ts//n n
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
O_£ 	 _~— «^^_^_
p error
DWS RCRA
<.01 <.01
<.01 '.01
>.99 <.01
•, 0] <- 01
<.01 <.01
'.01 <.01
<.01 < 01

<.01 <.01
ppm
p error
DWS RCRA
<.50 <.01
<.50 <.01
< . 80 < . 0 1
<.bO <.01
<.50 <.01
<,50 <,01
<.50 < 01
<.50 <.01
<.50 <.01

X ± ts//n
<.06
<.06
.14 ± .06
.03 ± .06

.08 ± .06
<.06

.08 + .06
CHROMIUM

X ± ts//n
<.005
<.005
.023 ± .006
.010 ± .005
<.005
<.005
.017 ± .006
<.005
<.005
P error
n DWS RCRA
4 < . 01 <. 01
4 <. 01 '.01
4 < . 01 < . 01
4 < . 01 <. 01
8 '.99 <.01
4 <.01 '.01
4 < . 01 <. 01

4 <. 01 < . 01
ppm
p error
n DWS RCRA
3 < 01 <.01
4 <.01 <.01
3 .02 <.01
3 <. 01 < . 01
5 <. 01 <. 01
5 <.01 <.01
3 < . 01 '.01
3 <. 01 <. 01
4 <.01 <-01

X ± ts//n
.0014 i .0006
.0015 ± 0006
.0035 ± .0007
.0011 + .0006
'.0016 ± .0006
.0020 ± .0006
.0017 ± .0006
.0038 ± .0007
.0009 ± .0006
LEAD

X ± ts//n
<.012
<.012
<.012
<.012
<.012
<.012
<.012
<.OI2
<.012
p error
n DWS RCRA
3 <.01 <.01
3 '.01 '.01
3 ' . 01 <. 01
3 <. 01 < . 0 1
3 '.01 '.01
3 <. 01 < . 01
3 '.01 <. 01
3 <.01 <.01
3 '.01 ' . 01
ppm
p error
n DWS RCRA
5 '.40 '.01
5 '.40 '.01
5 <.40 '.01
5 <.40 '.01
5 '.40 '.01
5 <.40 <.01
5 <.40 '.01
5 <.40 <.01
5 <.40 <.01

X ± ts//n
' 006
'.006
'.006
'.0(16
'.00
' . 006
'.006
'.006
< . 006

n
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
MERCURY

X ± ts//n
'.001
'.001
'.001
<.001
'.001
<.001
'.001
'.001
'.001

n
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
p error
DWS RCRA
'.01 '.0,
'.01 '.01
'.01 '.01
'.01 '.01
'.01 '.01
' 01 '.01
'.01 '.01
'.01 '.01
< 01 '.01
ppm
p error
DWS RCRA
'.4 '.01
'.5 '.01
'.5 '.01
'.5 '.01
'.5 '.01
<.5 <.01
'.7 <.01
<.5 <-01
<.7 <.01

-------
               24/40
               JOINT
                                    1.9 -cm i.d.
                                            11.4cm
    ERLENMEYER
    FLASK,500 ml.
                                            18.7cm
             Fig. 1.  Extraction Vessel Used  for
               LASL Shaker Leaching Experiments
22

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                                        TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
                                 (Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
         1. REPORT NO
         EPA-600/7-81-072
                                                              3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
        4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
         Leaching Experiments on Coal Preparation Wastes:
         Comparisons of the EPA Extraction Procedure with
         Other Methods
                                 6. REPORT DATE
                                  April 1981
                                 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
        7. AUTHOR(S)
         R.C.Heaton, P.L.Wanek, E.F.Thode,
          E.J. Cokal, and P.Wagner
                                 B. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO

                                 LA-8773-SR
        9 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
         Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
         University of California
         Los Alamos, New Mexico  87545
                                 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
                                 INE825
                                 11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO

                                 IAG-D5-E681
         12 SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
         EPA, Office of Research and Development
         Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
         Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                                 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
                                 Final; 6-12/80	
                                 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
                                   EPA/600/13
                            —	j —  —  —  	                    ^j A **f V \J\f / AW

         is. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES IERL-RTP project officer is David A.  Kirchgessner, Mail Drop
         61,  919/541-4021.
         is. ABSTRACT j,^e rep0rt gives results of leaching experiments on mineral wastes from
         seven coal preparation plants (in the Illinois Basin, the Appalachian Region, and the
         West), in accordance with the EPA extraction procedure in the Federal Register of
         May 19, 1980. (This is one of the tests required for classifying solid wastes under
         RCRA.) All of the coal waste leachates had trace element concentrations below the
         maximum set by EPA. Results of the EPA leaching procedure compare favorably
         with those  of the authors' leaching experiments for the elements that were analyzed
         (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and  Se). However, coal wastes release substantial
         quantities of trace elements  not included in the protocols (Fe, Al, Ni, Mn,  Zn,  and
         Cu). In addition, the requirement that test leachate be maintained at pH < or =  5
         establishes an abnormal environment for neutral or alkaline wastes.
                                     KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
                        DESCRIPTORS
                                                  b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
                                                                          c. COSATl Field/Group
         Pollution
         Coal Preparation
         Coal
         Waste Treatment
         Leaching
         Minerals
Extraction
Chemical Analysis
Pollution Control
Stationary Sources
Mineral Wastes
Solid Waste
Trace  Elements
13B
081
08G

07D,07A
13H
        13. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
         Release to Public
                                                  19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report)
                                                  Unclassified
                                             21. NO. OF PAGES
                                               27
                                                  20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage/
                                                  Unclassified
                                                                          22. PRICE
        EPA Form 2220-1 ((-73)
•
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