Hidehiro Kaneko

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yamanashi University
(4-3-11, Takeda, Kofu-city Yamanashi 400 Japan)

Abstract

The toxicity of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash leachate, which was prepared via the standard Japanese leaching test,was evaluated by algal assay using Selenastrum capricornutum. The EC50 was 1/1750 which showed that the toxicity of the leachate was high. The concentration of heavy metals in the leachate and the EC50 of each metal was compared in order to determine the major toxic element in the fly ash. The result showed that zinc was the major toxic element. This implied that zinc must be specifically targeted in MWI fly ash treatment and disposal.

Key words: MWI fly ash, leaching test, ecotoxicity, algal assay, heavy metal