African Journal of
Environmental Science and Technology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0786
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJEST
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 1128

Full Length Research Paper

Dissolution of heavy metals from electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust of a coal based sponge iron plant by fungal leaching

Pradip K. Jena1, C. S. K. Mishra1*, D. K. Behera2, S. Mishra3 and L. B. Sukla3
  1College of Basic Science and Humanities, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar-751003, Orissa, India. 2Tata Steel Limited, Jamshedpur-831005, Jharkhand, India. 3Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR), Bhubaneswar-751013, Orissa,India.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 19 March 2012
  •  Published: 30 April 2012

Abstract

 

Coal based sponge iron industries in India generate considerable quantity of solid waste, 40% of which is flue dust produced from the electrostatic precipitator (ESP) connected to rotary kiln. This paper reports the dissolution of Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn and Fe from the ESP dust using three fungal species, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavusat 5 and 10% pulp densities over a period of 28 days. Highest metal leaching was achieved with A. niger followed by A. flavus. The least metal leaching was achieved with A. fumigatus. The pH of the medium declined consistently over the incubation period. Maximum leaching for Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn and Fe were 81, 76, 74, 72 and 52% respectively.

 

Key words: Fungal leaching, sponge iron, electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust, metal dissolution

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