Heavy Metals

Heavy metals in combustible materials such as fossil fuels, biomass, municipal and medical wastes, sewage sludges, and in industrial wastes such as slags, are important pollutants for the environment. The bottom ashes and fly ashes from the combustion and incineration processes contain heavy metals as enrichment products in significant ratios. Therefore, heavy-metal enrichment after combustion and incineration processes have been extensively discussed in this chapter. The health effects of heavy metals are described, with special attention paid to safe use of the combustion and incineration residues and fly ashes. The utilization of residues and fly ashes in cement production, soil remediation, adsorption of different pollutants and heavy metal recovery are outlined, as well as the stabilization/solidification of ashes and slags.