Metals Removal from Contaminated Soil Using Electrokinetic Treatment – Effect of Different Permeable Reactive Barrier and Flushing Solution

Abstract

Metals pollution is often found in the immediate or neighboring areas of industrial or agricultural activities. This situation may significantly affect the environment, such as water, soil, and air pollution. Electrokinetic (EK) treatment is known to have higher efficiency for metals contaminated soil. However, the use of EK treatment is not widely as expected. This study employs EK treatment with different permeable reactive barriers and flushing solutions to remove Cd and Pb from agricultural soil. Soil pH, temperature, water content, electroosmotic flow, electric current, and metal concentration are calculated as responses to the EK treatment. Results showed that the EK treatments were effectively removed the metals from the contaminated soil. On the fifth day of the treatment, EK, which used activated carbon as PRB and citric acid as the chelating agent, removed a significant amount of Cd from the soil. Besides, the treatment using zeolite as PRB and citric agent as chelate can remove more than 90% of Pb after the sixth day of treatment. These results showed that PRB and chelating agents could effectively remove the metals from the contaminated soils.