Geochemical distribution and mineralogy of heavy metals in the gasification residue of coal-waste activated carbon-slurry: Insights into leaching behavior

Here, a novel approach to the detoxification and reuse of waste activated carbon (WAC) through co-gasification with coal-water slurry (CWS) is proposed. To evaluate the harmlessness to the environment of this method, the mineralogical composition, leaching characteristics, and geochemical distribution of heavy metals were investigated, enabling the leaching behavior of heavy metals in gasification residues to be explained. The results showed that the gasification residue of coal-waste activated carbon-slurry (CWACS) contained higher concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Zn, while those of Cd, Pb, As, Hg, and Se were well below 100 μg/g. Further, the spatial distributions of Cr, Cu, and Zn in the mineral phases of the gasification residue of CWACS were relatively uniform overall, and no obvious regional enrichment was observed. The leaching concentrations of various heavy metals in the gasification residues of the two CWACS samples were all lower than the standard limit. Following the co-gasification of WAC with CWS, the stability of the heavy metals in the environment was enhanced. Meanwhile, the gasification residues of the two CWACS samples showed no environmental risk for Cr, low environmental risk for Pb and Hg, and only a moderate environmental risk for Cd, As, and Se. [Display omitted] •Detoxify and reuse the waste activated carbon through co-gasification with CWS.•The leaching behavior of heavy metals in gasification residues was explained.•The residue after co-gasification of WAC and CWS is non-hazardous.•Modified BCR method was used to study the geochemical distributions.•The environmental risk of the CWACS gasification residues was evaluated.