Different stainless steel slags have been successfully employed in previous experiments, for the treatment of industrial acidic wastewaters. Although, before this technology can be implemented on an industrial scale, upscaled pilot experiments need to be performed. In this study, the parameters of the upscale trials, such as the volume and mixing speeds, are firstly tested by dispersing a NaCl tracer in a water bath. Mixing time trials are used to maintain constant mixing conditions when the volumes are increased to 70, 80 and 90 L, compared to the 1 L laboratory trials. Subsequently, the parameters obtained are used in pH buffering trials, where stainless steel slags are used as reactants, replicating the methodology of previous studies. Compared to laboratory trials, the study found only a minor loss of efficiency. Specifically, in previous studies, 39 g/L of slag was needed to buffer the pH of the acidic wastewaters. To reach similar pH values within the same time span, upscaled trials found a ratio of 43 g/L and 44 g/L when 70 and 90 L are used, respectively. Therefore, when the kinetic conditions are controlled, the technology appears to be scalable to higher volumes. This is an important finding that hopefully promotes further investments in this technology.

Several stainless-steel slags have been successfully employed in previous studies as substitutes for lime in the treatment of industrial acidic wastewaters. This study deepens the knowledge of such application, by analyzing the neutralizing capacity of different slags related to their mineral compositions. To do so, firstly the chemical and mineral compositions of all the slag samples are assessed. Then, 0.5 g, 1 g, 2 g of each slag and 0.25 g and 0.5 g of lime are used to neutralize 100 g of 0.1 M HCl or HNO3 solutions. After the has neutralization occurred, the solid residues are extracted and analyzed using XRD spectroscopy. Then, the solubility of the minerals is assessed and ranked, by comparing the XRD spectra of the residues with the obtained pH values. The results show that minerals such as dicalcium silicate and bredigite are highly soluble in the selected experimental conditions, while minerals such as merwinite and akermanite, only partially. Moreover, Al-rich slags seem to perform poorly due to the formation of hydroxides, which generate extra protons. However, when the weight of slag is adequately adjusted, Al-rich slags can increase the pH values to higher levels compared to the other studied slags.

Steel slags generally swell when subjected to water or humidity, which prevents proper recycling in the cement or asphaltindustries. The MgO and CaO phases in steel slags are responsible for this phenomenon, as both minerals easily absorb waterto form their respective hydroxides. MgO is often present in steel slags in a solid solution with several oxides, constitutingthe so-called RO phase. This study investigates the hydration rate of an RO phase consisting of FeO and MgO called ferropericlase.The material was synthesized in a laboratory furnace by sintering a FeO–MgO powder mixture with varying initialFeO contents (approximately 10, 15, and 20 wt%). Thereafter, electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) spectroscopies were used to characterize the structure of the samples, which were mainly composed of ferropericlaseand an exsolution of magnesioferrite. Also, Mössbauer spectra showed that the total ferrous iron proportion (Fe2+/ΣFe) ofthe sintered samples was in the range of 0.55–0.72. To measure the hydration behavior, the samples in powder form werecured in an autoclave at an H2Opartial pressure of 2 atm. Thereafter, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed tomeasure the amount of water absorbed during the autoclave curing from the mass drop associated with the dehydration ofthe hydroxide. The study found a linear correlation between the initial FeO content and the weight loss after TGA, with areduction down to 6% in the sample with an initial FeO content of 20 wt% content compared to pure MgO.

Recycling of steelmaking slags has well-established applications, such as their use in cement, asphalt, or fertilizer industries. Although in some cases, such as the electric arc furnace (EAF) high-alloyed stainless-steel production, the slag’s high metal content prevents its use in such applications. This forces companies to accumulate it as waste. Using concepts such dematerialization, waste management, industrial symbiosis, and circular economy, the article drafts a conceptual framework on the best route to solving the landfilling issue, aiming at a zero-waste process re-design. An experimental part follows, with an investigation of the use of landfill slag as a substitute of limestone for the neutralization of acidic wastewater, produced by the rinsing of steel after the pickling process. Neutralization of acidic wastewater with both lime and slag samples was performed with two different methods. Two out of four slag samples tested proved their possible use, reaching desired pH values compared to lime neutralizations. Moreover, the clean waters resulting from the neutralizations with the use of both lime and slag were tested. In terms of hazardous element concentrations, neutralization with slag yielded similar results to lime. The results of these trials show that slag is a potential substitute of lime for the neutralization of acidic wastewater.