Leaching Behavior of Recycled Aggregate Materials
Summary
Leaching behaviour of recycled aggregate materials is governed by the interaction between recycled particles and infiltrating water or other fluids. The process determines the release of inorganic ions, organic compounds and trace metals from construction and demolition wastes that have been processed into recycled aggregates. Key factors influencing leaching include the chemical composition of the parent concrete or masonry, the degree of carbonation, pH of the leachate, liquid-to-solid ratio, particle size distribution and specific surface area. Testing approaches range from batch leaching tests—where solids are shaken with eluents at prescribed ratios—to dynamic column percolation studies that simulate field-relevant flow conditions. Column tests tend to reach local equilibrium more rapidly due to low liquid-to-solid ratios, whereas batch tests may exaggerate release under high solution volumes. Heterogeneity of recycled aggregate fractions often leads to variable release patterns, requiring statistical analysis to identify critical pollutants such as sulphates, chlorides, copper, chromium and organic constituents. Advances in wet-processing and multi-stage washing have shown promising reductions in leachable fractions, enabling reuse in construction applications without compromising groundwater quality. Globally, robust characterisation of leaching behaviour is vital for regulatory compliance and the sustainable integration of recycled aggregates in road bases, structural fill, landfill liners and marine habitats.
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Leaching Behavior of Recycled Aggregate Materials publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in leaching behavior of recycled aggregate materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Leaching: Release of soluble substances from solid materials when contacted by a liquid.
Liquid-to-solid ratio: Volume of leaching solution per mass of solid sample, influencing equilibrium and kinetics.
Column percolation test: Dynamic leaching method passing eluent through a packed column of material to simulate field flow.
Batch leaching test: Static leaching procedure where solids and liquid are agitated at defined ratios to assess contaminant release.
Distribution coefficient (Kd): Ratio of a contaminant’s concentration adsorbed onto solid to its concentration in the aqueous phase.
Recycled aggregate (RA): Aggregate material recovered from construction and demolition waste for reuse in civil engineering applications.
References
- On equilibration of pore water in column leaching tests. Waste Management (2014).
- Chemical and Leaching Behavior of Construction and Demolition Wastes and Recycled Aggregates. Sustainability (2020).
- Leaching Behaviour of Construction and Demolition Wastes and Recycled Aggregates: Statistical Analysis Applied to the Release of Contaminants. Applied Sciences (2021).
- Long-Term Leaching Behavior of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants after Wet Processing of Solid Waste Materials. Materials (2022).
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