Linking Automated Scanning Electron Microscope Based Investigations to Chemical Analysis for an Improved Understanding of Ash Characteristics

The movements and efforts of a circular economy, aiming to tap into the resource potential ash, require an intimate knowledge material; often, target elements within this material are part complex ash phases. This work shows how automated SEM investigations measure up other laboratory techniques for analysis elemental composition particle size. Three sewage sludge (SSA) samples have been studied in comparison, showing variation SSA highlighting strengths shortcomings methods chosen. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive (SEM-EDX) show relevant phosphate phases, but also number elements. extent accompanying elements, most likely hindering efficient phosphorus (P) recovery, varies. Propensities detection fine-grained largely amorphous such as vary, is explored thorough comparison. ICP-OES data suffers from incomplete sample mobilization, XRF-derived values suffer matrix effects. Both only which trace potentially toxic SEM-EDX mineralogy delivers more reliable main while not reporting traces. By size distributions, alongside laser diffraction derived strain puts on traditional visible. Ashes tend agglomerate, porous nature particles hinders accurate detection. highlights where recycling needs be careful hints at discrepancies between different methods. When understanding designing extraction strategies, crucial.