Trace element behavior in wood-fueled heat and power stations in terms of an urban mining perspective

Trace elements (TE) occur in natural and waste wood in a broad variety at considerable concentrations. Those TEs end up in different ash fractions (bottom-, fine-, and fly ashes) after combustion in furnaces at heat and power plants (HPP). The ash fractions differ significantly in TE concentrations and are therefore of variable quality. On the one hand they can be a matter of cost intensive disposal due to their toxicity. On the other hand they...