Effect of Xut Car Tires and Ash on Heavy Metal Release into the Environment

Abstract

The increased usage of used car tires in the crafts Industry has led to an increase in number of cut tire pieces exposed to the environment. Burning of tire pieces for fuel is one of the common practices carried out to eliminate the tire pieces from the environment in Uganda. The practice not only releases smoke to the environment, but also leaves ash from burnt tire pieces exposed to environment. The study therefore seeks to assess the release of Lead and Zinc from the unused cut tire pieces and ash from burnt tire pieces when left open to water and soil. A survey was carried out to establish the percentage of usage of the tire in the crafts industry and what goes to waste. Through digestion of tire pieces and Ash and testing the digested mixture with the atomic absorption spectrometer, the composition of tire pieces and ash was determined. The effect of surface area on release of Lead and Zinc into water from tire pieces and ash was done through keeping the tire pieces of small size 8x10-5 mm, medium 4mm and tire Ash in water and testing the water after21 days. Results from small size cut tire pieces showed that tires had 0.146mg/L and 1.493mg/L of Lead and Zinc and medium had 0mg/L and 0.902mg/L of lead and Zinc. In the same way Ash was found to contain 5.072mg/L and 160.551mg/L of Lead and Zinc respectively. This indicated that the smaller the surface area, the more the release of these elements into water and the larger the surface area the lesser the elements released into water.