Determination of zinc speciation in basic oxygen furnace flying dust by chemical extractions and X-ray spectroscopy Original Research Article

There is a growing concern regarding the environmental and public health risks associated with airborne particulate matter (PM). The basic oxygen furnace is one of the most important atmospheric dust sources of the steel manufacturing process. It emits dust enriched in heavy metal such as Zn, which is assumed to contribute to the toxic potential of atmospheric PM. Dust collected before and after the filtration system was analyzed to determine Zn speciation. To this end, a variety of analytical tools were used and a sequential extraction protocol has been specifically developed for iron and steel dust. The Zn speciation results obtained by EXAFS and sequential extraction were in excellent agreement. Before filtration, the speciation of Zn in BOF was 43% ZnFe2O4, 23% ZnCO3 and 16% ZnO. The same species were detected after filtration with different proportions. BOF dust after filtration contains more soluble Zn phases which may play a role in the toxic effects of the emissions.