Potential application of yellow gypsum from LD slag as a soil conditioner.

In the present study, ICP-AES and ICP-MS techniques were used to analyse and validate the content of heavy and trace elements in yellow gypsum samples produced by a chemical process from a solid waste generated at an integrated steel plant. The present study tries to demonstrate that the content of heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic in yellow gypsum is less than the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) norms set for a comparable industrial by-product phospho-gypsum. This study also concludes that yellow gypsum contains some elements (copper, boron, etc.) in traces, apart from heavy metals which are beneficial to plants as micronutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]