Intrinsic properties of new materials for civil engineering works based on the reuse of MSWI bottom ashes: chemical and ecotoxicological assessment

Fourteen new materials for old quarry backfilling (mortars) and construction of D-walls (concretes) were developed based on the reuse of MSWI bottom ashes. The main aim of this work was to assess the maximum toxicity and ecotoxicity potentials of these new materials, named as “intrinsic properties”, by exposing internal surfaces to the leaching agent. The intrinsic properties of the new materials were also compared with two reference materials. Concretes developed for D-walls had shown globally lower levels of toxicity and ecotoxicity than the mortars developed for quarry backfilling. The eluates of new materials had globally shown higher toxicity and ecotoxicity potentials than the reference materials, which was attributed to the incorporation of bottom ashes and other residual materials in the new formulations.