The Enhanced Removal of Cadmium and Lead from Contaminated Soils and the pH Effect by Electrochemical Treatment

Abstract

Electrochemical treatment is an emerging technology for decontaminating soil in-situ, which involves electrolysis, adsorption, desorption, precipitation, hydraulic or electroosmotic flow, and ionic transport. The removal of Pb and Cd ions from contaminated soils has been investigated in this study. The pH value of the soil significantly affects the removal of heavy metal ions. Besides the adsorption/desorption and precipitation are strongly affected by the pH of the soils, it can also influence the magnitude and direction of electroosmotic flow, and so the pH of the soil specimen must be regulated adequately. The appropriate range of pH values has been found to be 2 ˜ 4, and the pH must not exceed 6. Various enhancing methods of ensuring adequate pH distribution were employed herein, including methods that involve buffer solution, cation exchange membranes, and pretreatment with acetic acid and acetate buffered solution. Such methods proved to be highly effective in improving the removal efficiency in all instances. The removal efficiency of Cd⁺² can reach 99%, and that of Pb⁺² can reach 85%, when buffered solutions are used for the electrochemical treatment.

Keywords:

• Electrochemical treatment
• Soil remediation
• Pb removal