Heavy metals in industrial sludge: Occurrence, Leaching behavior and Environmental implications

Industrial activities generate different types of waste, with varying chemical properties. An investigation of the detailed chemical and mineralogical characteristics of these materials may serve as a first step for selecting an appropriate treatment or safe disposal method. This study focuses on arsenic (As) and heavy metals (i.e., Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in three sludge samples derived from industrial wastewater treatment plants in Southern Vietnam. The emphasis is on determining the influence of changing environmental conditions on element mobilization based on a multidisciplinary approach using sample micro analysis (Field Emission Gun Electron Probe Micro Analysis (FEG-EPMA)) in combination with different types of leaching/extraction tests.status: publishe