Treatment of wastewater generated from coke oven by adsorption on steelmaking slag and its effect on cementitious properties

In this study, steelmaking slag is selected as an adsorption material to treat coke-oven wastewater. The study shows the use of solid waste to treat liquid waste of the same industry. The full effect of adsorption on steel slag with coke-oven wastewater has been analysed using SEM, XFR, XRD, FTIR and GC-MS. The adsorption pattern for steel slag at high temperatures, i.e. up to 1100 degrees C was studied. It is observed that adsorption of pollutants does not favour higher temperature. Leaching studies showed increase in traces of heavy metals. However, only arsenic was found to be leaching beyond permissible limits. GC-MS studies showed no disorption of organic compounds from the treated slag. Compressive strength slightly weakened for the slag after adsorption, but lime saturation factor as well as soundness favoured the use of treated slag as an adsorbent. Overall analysis suggests that steel slag can be used for adsorption of coke-oven wastewater pollutant at lower temperatures. Thus steelmaking slag is found to be an efficient, readily available and economical adsorbent for removal of toxins from the coke-oven wastewater at lower temperatures.