Journal of Hazardous Materials 276 (2014) 302–311 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Hazardous Materials jo ur nal ho me p ag e: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhazmat Composition and leaching of construction and demolition waste: Inorganic elements and organic compounds Stefania Butera ∗ , Thomas H. Christensen, Thomas F. Astrup Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Building 115, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark h i g h l i g h t s • Extensive dataset, broad range of parameters. • Significant heterogeneity in terms of total content and leachability. • PCBs and PAHs detected in all samples in trace amounts. • Higher leaching of Cr, SO 4 and Cl - from masonry-containing and aged samples. • Materials generally comparable to inert waste, few exceptions found. a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 5 March 2014 Received in revised form 11 May 2014 Accepted 13 May 2014 Available online 22 May 2014 Keywords: Construction and demolition waste Elemental composition Leaching PAH PCB a b s t r a c t Thirty-three samples of construction and demolition waste collected at 11 recycling facilities in Denmark were characterised in terms of total content and leaching of inorganic elements and presence of the per- sistent organic pollutants PCBs and PAHs. Samples included (i) “clean” (i.e. unmixed) concrete waste, (ii) mixed masonry and concrete, (iii) asphalt and (iv) freshly cast concrete cores; both old and newly generated construction and demolition waste was included. PCBs and PAHs were detected in all sam- ples, generally in non-critical concentrations. Overall, PAHs were comparable to background levels in urban environments. “Old” and “new” concrete samples indicated different PCB congener profiles and the presence of PCB even in new concrete suggested that background levels in raw materials may be an issue. Significant variability in total content of trace elements, even more pronounced for leaching, was observed indicating that the number of analysed samples may be critical in relation to decisions regarding management and utilisation of the materials. Higher leaching of chromium, sulphate and chloride were observed for masonry-containing and partly carbonated samples, indicating that source segregation and management practices may be important. Generally, leaching was in compliance with available leaching limits, except for selenium, and in some cases chromium, sulphate and antimony. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Utilisation of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) is a well-established end-of-life strategy in many European countries; utilisation rates over 80% are Abbreviations: C&DW, Construction and demolition Waste; DOC, Dissolved Organic Carbon; GC–MS, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry; ICP-OES, Induc- tively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry; ICP-MS, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry; ISV, Inter-sample Variation; LOD, Limit of Detection; MSWI BA, Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash; NVOC, Non-Volatile Organic Carbon; PAHs, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; PCBs, Polychlorinated Biphenyls; POPs, Persistent Organic Pollutants; RSD, Relative Standard Deviation; SPE, Solid Phase Extraction; SQD, Soil Quality Decree; TC, Total Carbon; TOC, Total Organic Carbon; TS, Total Solid. ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +45 45251572; fax: +45 4593 2850. E-mail address: stfb@env.dtu.dk (S. Butera). reached e.g. in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Estonia [1]. The most com- mon practice is utilisation of concrete and mineral debris (that may or may not include bricks, tiles, asphalt and other impurities) as filler material for construction of roads, embankments, ramps, etc. [2]. While physical properties are important for technical suitability of the materials, and have been extensively addressed in literature (e.g. [3]), composition and leaching properties are relevant from an envi- ronmental perspective: leaching of pollutants might affect the underlying soil and potentially the groundwater, with toxic effects on the ecosystem and potential consequences on human health through indirect exposure, on top of potential spoil- ing of drinking water resources. To ensure protection of the natural environment and ultimately of human health, in some countries limit values have been estab- lished concerning both total content and leachability of pollutants (e.g. Germany, Netherlands, Italy). In other countries (e.g. Denmark), only source segregated and non-polluted construction and demolition debris is allowed for utilisation, but no regulatory limits or testing have been enforced. Characterisation data of C&DW are available from countries where limit values have been introduced: e.g. Germany [4,5], Belgium [6], and Finland [7]. However, most studies have focused on leaching from laboratory formulated cement-based http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.05.033 0304-3894/© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.