Development of Environmentally Friendly Bricks using Spent Diatomaceous Earth

Abstract

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is utilized as a filter material in breweries. Spent Diatomaceous Earth (SDE) is a type of industrial waste that is produced when the pores of DE get clogged by contaminants generated from the brewing industry. This spent DE is thrown into dumping locations upon the final filtering process, resulting in environmental pollution. As a viable solution for that problem, SDE can be mixed with clay to produce bricks. When clay is combined with SDE, the quality of the bricks improves. Incorporating SDE into the brick manufacturing can mitigate the negative environmental consequences. The purpose of this research was to see whether SDE can be used as a raw material in brick production. Both X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) tests were used to examine the chemical properties of SDE. Sun-dried bricks containing 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt% of SDE were burnt at 950 °C for 6 hours with 10 °Cmin-1 temperature ramp. The obtained results show that raising the SDE weight percentage improves compressive and flexural strengths. The sample generated with 15 wt% of SDE had the maximum compressive strength (4.78 MPa) and flexural strength (0.57 MPa). The inclusion of SDE is also worthwhile because no significant alterations in physical attributes are noticed. Further research and development, taking the technological, economic, and environmental elements of SDE into account, is recommended in order to produce SDE included bricks on a larger scale.