Heavy metals in the ash fraction of medical waste incineration

The ash and slug fraction produced by incineration of medical waste represent a potential risk to human health due to heavy metal content. The aim of this work is the determination of the heavy metals concentration in this fraction and also to perform the leaching test. The sampling technique, the sample preparation, the analitical methods and results are discussed in this paper The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg, Fe, Cu, Cr and Zn were obtained using atomic absortion spectrometry. The leachates obtained from the leaching test were also analised with atomic absortion spectrometry Most of the results lay over the limits imposed by regulatory laws. This fact allows to conclude that the ash fraction produced by the incineration of medical waste should be categorized as hazardous waste and therefore care should be taken in its final disposition.