Treatment of tin-polluted sediments: recovery and stabilization

In harbours and marinas sediments are highly contaminated with tin (Sn) and organotin compounds (OTs). The amounts of contaminated sediment are large, and currently there are no efficient method developed to remediate these contaminated masses. The aim of this project is to develop an innovative, sustainable and efficient treatment method to remediate tin-polluted sediments in laboratory scale. Research is done to leach OTs and metals from the sediments. From the leachates Sn is recovered, while the sediments residues are stabilized to be used for construction purposes in e.g. harbours. A life cycle assessment is performed to identify the developed methods total load on the environment. With the developed method, treated sediments do not need to be landfilled and valuable resources in the sediment as Sn is re-used in the society. The method has potential to be modified and used for the recovery of other metals from e.g. road dust/gravel, urban sediments and contaminated soil.

Recycling