| Author | Nang Htay Yin |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-09-14 |
| Subject(s) | Waste electronic apparatus and appliances
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | E-waste or WEEE (waste from electrical and electronic equipment) becomes the fastest growing sector of solid waste stream in the world. Globally, 20-50 million tons of E-waste is generated each year, which accounts for 5% of all municipal solid waste (Cobbing, 2008). When the solid waste like E-waste containing large number of toxic chemicals is dumped with municipal solid waste (MSW), not only soil and groundwater can be badly contaminated. The study was conducted on the co-disposal of MSW with E-waste scrap in terms of lysimeter test. L-1 (lysimeter - 1) which is filled with solely MSW acts as control lysimeters whereas L-2 (lysimeter - 2) and L-3 (lysimeter - 3) are test lysimeters where the content of E-waste scrap is 20 % and 25 % (by weight) respectively. The lysimeters are operated with daily leachate recirculation, leachate characteristics, gas production and composition monitoring. Moreover, TCLP (Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure) test is conducted to determine the leaching ability of heavy metals from E-waste scraps. No significant variations have been found out in the organic parameters of the leachate in all lysimeters. Even though L-3 which has the highest content of E-waste scrap is not much different from L-1 leachate characteristics. The concentration of the organic parameters are still increasing showing that waste is not stabilized yet. However, in terms of leaching, it has been found out that leaching greatly depend on the organic content. As L-3 has the lowest organic content whereas highest E-waste scraps content, it has less leached out for some heavy metals like Cu which leached out more in L-2 than in L-3. Moreover, Pb has the highest adsorption capacity because highest amount (172.4 mg/L) of lead leached in TCLP test; however, it is detected lowest in the leachate (0.44 - 0.61 mg/L) in all lysimeters. The leachability of heavy metals is different in TCLP test and lysimeter study. The leachability in all lysimeter can be presented as Fe > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cr > Hg. However, iri TCLP results, it is as Pb > Zn > Fe > Ni > Cu> Be > Cr > As > Cd. The leachability is different because the runtime of TCLP is only 18 hrs whereas in lysimeters is more than 5 months and in TCLP no media for heavy metals to occur adsorption where as it can happens in lysimeters due to MSW presence. Reduction in the sulphate amount and less concentration in the leachate shows that heavy metal precipitation in terms of sulphide form which is retained in the waste due to leachate recirculation. |
| Year | 2009 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Visvanathan, C.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Nguyen, Thi Kim Oanh;Chart Chiemchaisri; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2009 |