[Gasification] Ash to land? Each case different

[Tom Miles]

There is a lot of information on wood ash utilization on the internet
including some recent European review articles and US guidelines for
agricultural application. Toxicity of ash from thermal decomposition of pulp
mill waste, sewage sludge etc. have been measured for years and reported
regularly in publications by the American Chemical Society. Ash from biomass
plants tends to be regulated locally. The highest potential for toxic
elements is probably urban wood waste which is no burned extensively in
biomass plants. The solid waste components that are frequently tested are
lead and mercury. Some suspect that the lead from automobile exhaust
accumulated in roadside and urban vegetation that is now being processed as
fuel.

Tom Miles    


-----Original Message-----
From: gasification-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:gasification-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Max Kennedy
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 11:56 AM
To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Ash to land? Each case different

"Any rule of thumb is subject to the specifics of the situation" True
however I wasn't speaking solely of Cd but contaminants in general.  As they
tend to be inorganic they are in general vastly concentrated in the ash.
Some contaminants, such as silicon, Si, are innocuous others are not.
Because of the concentration effect most ash is toxic one way or another.
Remember that the specific concentration may not in itself be toxic but as
these chemicals are often persistant repeated applications will raise
concentrations to hazardous materials to dangerous levels.  Appropriate
treatment, the 1st stage is TESTING, if good to go, by all means apply to
the land.  However do remember to take persistance and bioconcentration into
account!

MK


----- Original Message ----
From: "LINVENT at aol.com" <LINVENT at aol.com>
To: gasification at listserv.repp.org
Sent: Tuesday, May 8, 2007 1:49:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Ash to land? Each case different


Because EU ash may have high Cd in it, doesn't mean that all do. For this 
reason, each situation is different. I have seen citrus trees in Bakersfield
area 
have high nickel and trees around Los Alamos New Mexico have high beryllium 
in them due to explosive use in the Manhattan project and accumulations in
the 
soil. Any rule of thumb is subject to the specifics of the situation. 

I would hazard to say that most biomass ash is relatively free from heavy 
metal contamination in the US, and that applications of small quantites is
not 
per se a problem. An example of this is when a forest burns, the regrowth is

quite vigorous. Part of this is because the ash concentrates and increases
the 
availablilty of nutrients to the plant. When microbe dependency for nutrient

breakdown in the soil is the pathway, the microbes will keep the nutrients
to 
themselves first and then slowly release them to the plant. This is not the
case 
when ash is the source. 
The issue arises from long term use and not only potential heavy metal 
accumulations, but imbalances created which are as insidious a problem and
can be 
difficult to fix, if you don't know how to do it. I can fix any toxic soil 
condition and make it into highly productive soil. No brag, just fact. 



Sincerely,
Leland T. Taylor
Leland T."Tom" Taylor
President
Thermogenics Inc.
7100-F 2nd St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone:505-463-8422 Fax:505-268-9206 (call first)
Web:thermogenics.com



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