The present work deals with the hydrothermal synthesis of Na zeolites (Na-A, Na-X and Na-P) and hydroxysodalite using kaolinite calcined at 650°C as starting material. The focus was on definition of the most favourable conditions for the synthesis of zeolite Na-A and Na-X from metakaolin in order to economize on both energy (i.e. synthesis temperatures) and reaction time and to enlarge the field of pure and isolated synthesized phases. Metakaolin was mixed with calculated amounts of NaOH solution and sodium silicate and five sets of experiments were carried out at ambient pressure and 68±0.1°C varying the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ratio from 2.2 to 7. Optimal conditions for crystallization of Na-A zeolite from kaolinite were reached with a SiO₂/Al₂O₃ratio of 2.2 plus 4 M NaOH without adding sodium silicate; transformation into hydroxysodalite develops after ∼8 h. For SiO₂/Al₂O₃ratios between 4 and 7, crystallization of the separate Na-X zeolite phase could be achieved and transformation into Na-P and hydroxysodalite occurred after 382 h and 190 h, respectively. For SiO₂/Al₂O3 ratios between 5 and 6, transformation of metakaolin into Na-X plus Na-A, hydroxysodalite and Na-P occurred, and the field within which Na-A and Na-X zeolite exists overlapped that of the other zeolites.The products of synthesis were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and thermal analyses (TG-DTG-DTA).Obtaining pure Na-A and Na-X zeolite from kaolinite treated at low metakaolinitization temperature (650°C) and low hydrothermal synthesis temperature (68°C) represents a considerable economic advantage in terms of both energy and time.

The relative mass of major and trace elements that potentially can be released from the fly ashes generated in the main Greek power plants (Megalopolis A, Amynteon, Agios Dimitrios, Ptolemais, and Kardia) when they are landfilled and exposed to water have been determined. These fly ashes were subject to a one-stage leaching procedure using the Synthetic Groundwater Leaching Procedure (SGLP) test to simulate this situation. The elements Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Ca, Mg, Na, K, S, Ag, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Ho, I, La, Li, Lu, Mn, Mo, Nb, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn, and Zr have been studied. Results show that the elements with the highest potential hazard for the environment are S, Ca, Br, I, Mo, and Sr. The elements with a moderate mobility are K, Na, Ti, B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cs, Li, Rb, Sb, Se, Sn, W, and Zn. Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ag, As, Be, Bi, Ce, Co, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Ho, La, Lu, Mn, Nb, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, Tl, Tm, U, V, Y, Yb, and Zr have a low mobility and, consequently, a low potential hazard for the environment.

New radiometric and magnetostratigraphic data from Quillagua and Calama basins (Atacama desert) indicate that the stratigraphic record over the last 10 Ma includes two hiatuses, lasting approximately 2 and 4 million years respectively. These sedimentary gaps are thought to represent prolonged periods of hyperaridity in the region, with absence of sediment production and accumulation in the central depressions. Their remarkable synchrony with Antarctic and Patagonian glacial stages, Humboldt cold current enhancement and cold upwelling waters lead us to suggest long-term climate forcing. Higher frequency climate (orbital precession and eccentricity) forcing is thought to control the sequential arrangement of the lacustrine units deposited at times of lower aridity. Hyperaridity trends appear to be modulated by the activity of the South American Summer Monsoon, which drives precipitation along the high altitude areas to the east of Atacama. This precipitation increase combined with the eastward enlargement of the regional drainage during the late Pleistocene enabled water transfer from these high altitude areas to the low lying closed Quillagua basin and resulted in the deposition of the last widespread saline lacustrine deposits in this depression, before its drainage was open to the Pacific Ocean