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Electrokinetic remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals

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Abstract

This paper describes the results obtained from an electrokinetic treatment of a real soil polluted by lead acetate. Powdered soil samples were pressed with a consolidometer till 100 kPa to obtain cylindrical specimens with the same characteristics as a subsoil. Tests were carried out in a Perspex electrochemical cell where soil specimens were introduced with a hollow punch. A low intensity direct current was applied in order to remove contaminants, due to electrophoresis and electroosmosis phenomena. The water flow, conductivity, apparent electroosmotic coefficient, as well as other characteristic parameters, were measured throughout the test. The water content and degree of pore saturation were estimated at the beginning and end of the test. The soil slab was divided into four slices and the Pb concentration profile determined. The main factor governing the extraction of contaminant was found to be the pH in the acidic range. Indeed, under these conditions high removal efficiencies could be reached. These results could lead to the design of a new electrochemical treatment cell equipped with a cationic membrane to expand the region of favourable pH within the soil.

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Abbreviations

a:

Generic ionic species

ca :

a species molar concentration, [mol m−3]

D:

Relative electrical permeativity, dimensionless

Da :

a species diffusion coefficient, [m2 s−1]

D*:

Effective molecular diffusion coefficient, [m2 s−1]

F:

Faraday constant, [C mol−1]

H:

Hydraulic head, [m]

ja1 :

Electromigrative flux, [mol m−2 s−1]

ja2 :

Electroosmotic flux, [mol m−2 s−1]

ja3 :

Diffusive flux, [mol m−2 s−1]

ja4 :

Hydraulic flux, [mol m−2 s−1]

Keo :

Electroosmotic coefficient, [m2 s−1 V−1]

Kh :

Hydraulic permeability, [m s−1]

M:

Generic metal

Mn+ :

Generic metal ion

n:

Volumetric porosity, dimensionless

R:

Gas universal constant, [8.314 J mol−1 K−1]

T:

Absolute temperature, [K]

T*:

Tortuosity tensor (scalar in isotropic conditions), dimensionless

ua :

Ionic mobility of a species, [m2 V−1 s−1]

V:

Potential value, [V]

za :

Ionic valence, dimensionless

εo :

Void dielectric constant, [C V−1 m−1]

ζ:

Zeta potential, [V]

η:

Dynamic viscosity of the fluid phase, [N s m−2]

τ:

Tortuosity factor, dimensionless

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Acknowledgement

The advise of Prof. Lancellotta, Eng. G. Musso, Mr. G. Bianchi and Mr. R. Maniscalco for the geotechnical measurements is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy

    L. Rutigliano, D. Fino, G. Saracco, V. Specchia & P. Spinelli

Authors
  1. L. Rutigliano
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  2. D. Fino
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  3. G. Saracco
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  4. V. Specchia
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  5. P. Spinelli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Fino.

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Rutigliano, L., Fino, D., Saracco, G. et al. Electrokinetic remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. J Appl Electrochem 38, 1035–1041 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-008-9544-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-008-9544-0

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