Aided-Phytoremediation of Steel Slag !
Aided-Phytoremediation of Steel Slag! "Waste is a misplaced resource"- rightly said. Because, in today's world, there is really no such thing as waste. One man's waste is another man's resource. The same applies to the steel slag. Once considered as a harmful waste product, steel slag is now being looked into as a useful byproduct. Its applications in various industries, particularly in constructions industry, has turned it into a valuable resource. But, its physico-chemical composition makes it unfit for immediate use. Comprised of mostly metal oxides, steel slags produce highly alkaline leachate (pH close to 12.5). Moreover, these metal oxides react with atmospheric humidity and water and undergo volumetric expansion, leading to structural debilities in the construction sector. Therefore, it is stored by the steel industries for months together, to let it stabilize through natural processes. This leads to land, water and air pollution. Before aided-phytor...