Environmental benefit assessment of steel slag utilization and carbonation: A systematic review
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
806
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
Abstract
The rapid increase in steel slag generation globally highlights the urgent need to manage the disposal or utilization processes. In addition to conventional landfill disposal, researchers have successfully reused steel slag in the construction, chemical, and agricultural fields. With the large portions of alkaline silicate mineral content, steel slag can also be used as a suitable material for carbon capture to mitigate global warming. This article comprehensively reviews the environmental performance of steel slag utilization, especially emphasizing quantitative evaluation using life cycle assessment. This paper first illustrates the production processes, properties, and applications of steel slag, and then summarizes the key findings of the environmental benefits for steel slag utilization using life cycle assessment from the reviewed literature. This paper also identifies the limitations of quantifying the environmental benefits using life cycle assessment. The results indicate steel slag is largely utilized in pavement concrete and/or block as a substitution for natural aggregates. The associated environmental benefits are mostly attributed to the avoidance of the large amount of cement utilized. The environmental benefits for the substitution of traditional energy-intensive material and carbonation treatment are further discussed in detail. Due to the presence of heavy metals, the potential risks to human and ecological health caused by the manufacturing process and usage stage are examined. Finally, the current challenges and global social implications for steel slag valorization are summarized. ? 2021 Elsevier B.V.
Subjects
Construction material
Environmental assessment
Global warming potential
Life cycle assessment
Mineral carbonation
Steel slag
Alkalinity
Carbonation
Concrete aggregates
Environmental management
Global warming
Health risks
Heavy metals
Slags
Benefit assessments
Environmental benefits
Landfill disposal
Slag utilization
Systematic Review
Using life
Life cycle
cement
carbon
carbon dioxide
heavy metal
steel
carbon sequestration
construction material
environmental assessment
global warming
life cycle analysis
agriculture
carbonation
chemical composition
chemical reaction
climate change
ecosystem health
environmental factor
environmental impact
environmental parameters
flue gas
health hazard
hydration
leaching
life cycle assessment
process optimization
recycling
resource allocation
Review
risk assessment
sensitivity analysis
steel slag utilization
valorization
human
industrial waste
Carbon
Carbon Dioxide
Humans
Industrial Waste
Metals, Heavy
Steel
Type
review