Evaluation of chromium leaching in concrete by immersion and irrigation methods

The search for materials in eco-efficient civil construction can be carried out by adding or replacing raw ma-terials with waste generated in other industrial sectors. Many of these residues are classified as hazardous, and the inertization of compounds that confer dangerousness can be performed through stabilization by solid-ification (S/S) that causes the encapsulation and chemical fixation of toxic substances. However, in Brazil there is no regulated standard or even a technical recommendation, which is specific for S/S products used as building components. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the leaching of chromium in Port-land cement concrete matrix by immersion and irrigation methods, with a view to the use of these methods in the environmental assessment of materials and components of civil construction. For this, specimens of 25x200x400 mm were made with and without the addition of 2% Cr2O3 (chromium oxide) in relation to the Portland cement mass, which were subjected to immersion and irrigation leaching tests. The results obtained allowed to verify the encapsulation of chromium in the concrete and that the leaching tests proposed in con-crete monoliths, during the use phase, proved to be applicable in 28 days.

Automated summary

The search for eco-efficient materials in civil construction suggests the use of waste from other industries. In this study, the leaching of chromium in concrete was evaluated using immersion and irrigation methods, in order to assess the environmental impact of construction materials. The results showed that chromium was successfully encapsulated in the concrete and that the proposed leaching tests were applicable within 28 days.