Ecological risk assessment of nickel leaching from ferronickel slag-containing concrete using species sensitivity distribution

Abstract

Ferronickel slag is a by-product generated during the production of raw materials for stainless steel. In recent years, it has attracted attention as a potential alternative to natural resources for use in infrastructure in marine environments; however, concerns remain regarding nickel release and its potential ecological implications. This study evaluated nickel leaching from ferronickel slag–containing concrete by combining species sensitivity distribution (SSD) analysis for marine organisms with leaching experiments. The SSD analysis, based on EC10 values, yielded a hazardous concentration for 5% of species (HC5) of 6.09 µg/L for nickel. Concrete blocks (cylindrical shape; diameter, 10 cm; height, 20 cm; surface area, 0.0785 m2) were prepared with ferronickel slag replacing natural fine aggregate at proportions ranging from 0 to 60%, and leaching tests were conducted using artificial seawater (35 PSU). Nickel concentrations appeared to reach a plateau at higher replacement ratios (45% and 60%). Using the SSD-derived HC5 under a conservative closed-system assumption, which represents a worst-case scenario for screening purposes, the maximum allowable surface area of slag-containing concrete was estimated to range from 0.186 to 1.473 m2/L, suggesting that the potential for adverse ecological effects in marine environments is expected to be limited under conditions where dilution and dispersion occur. This integrated approach provides screening-level insight into the environmentally responsible utilization of ferronickel slag in marine applications.</jats:p>

More information

Identifiers

ORCID for Amber Marie Jones: orcid.org/0009-0009-7304-0541

Catalogue record

Export record

Altmetrics