Glass composition development for stabilization of New York Harbor sediment

Sediment from the New York Harbor must be periodically dredged in order to maintain adequate water depths for navigation. In the past, disposal of the sediment in the ocean was routine. Recently, the sediment was found to contain organics and heavy metals which may prevent direct ocean disposal. Methods are currently being evaluated for decontamination and disposal of the sediment. Vitrification is a technology being investigated. As part of this effort the appropriate glass formulations for stabilization of the sediment were developed. Crucible melting tests were used to identify and `optimized` glass composition for stabilization of the harbor sediment. Criteria to assess the suitability of the glass compositions included: waste loading, homogeneity, raw material cost and melt viscosity.