Elemental analysis of raw and stabilized coal waste materials

Abstract
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), involving two different acid digestions, and x‐ray fluorescence analysis (XRFA) were used in an intercalibration scheme for elemental analyses of several raw and stabilized coal wastes. Accuracy and precision were evaluated using NBS fly ash. In general, the results obtained by hydrofluoric/boric acid digestion and AAS agreed well with those obtained by XRFA. Yields using nitric acid digestion and AAS were low and variable. The paper also briefly describes production methodology for stabilized coal waste blocks.