Lead-chlorine synergistic immobilization mechanism in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA)-based magnesium potassium phosphate cement

The high chlorine (Cl) and lead (Pb) content characteristics of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA) pose environmental risks and hinder resource utilization. Herein, an MSWIFA-based magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) preparation strategy was developed, which allowed the MSWIFA recycling and the Pb-Cl synergistic immobilization without the washing pretreatment. The compressive strength of the resulting 10 wt.% MSWIFA-based MKPC was 28.44 MPa, with over 99.2% reduction in leaching toxicity of Pb and Cl. The high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscope (HAADF-STEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyzes showed that Pb, phosphate and Cl - formed Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl in MKPC. In-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests showed that Pb 3 (PO 4 ) 2 was gradually transformed to Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl through a dissolution-precipitation process. The formation energy, Bader charge, charge density difference and density of states (DOS) of Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl were analyzed by first-principles calculations, confirming that Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl was more thermodynamically stable than Pb 3 (PO 4 ) 2 and PbCl 2 and that electronic interactions between Pb-p, O-p, P-p and Cl-p orbits were the origin of Pb-Cl synergistic immobilization. This work provides a new strategy for the resource utilization of MSWIFA without washing pretreatment, and provides an in-depth understanding of the Pb-Cl synergistic immobilization mechanism. • No-wash municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA) treatment was proposed. • The MSWIFA-based magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) was fabricated. • The 10 wt.% MSWIFA-based MKPC showed over 99.2% reduction in Pb and Cl - leaching. • Pb 3 (PO 4 ) 2 was transformed to Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl via a dissolution-precipitation process. • Interatomic interactions of Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl enabled Pb-Cl synergistic immobilization.