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Simultaneous stabilization of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Ni in contaminated sediment using modified biochar

  • Sediments, Sec 5 • Sediment Management • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Sediment contaminated with metals constitutes a worldwide environmental problem. Biochar-based materials are widely applied in soil/sediment remediation due to their high adsorption capacity and cost-effectiveness. In this study, multiple modified biochar (BCM) were used to stabilize metals in contaminated river sediment.

Materials and methods

BCM was mixed with metal-contaminated river sediment at doses of 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% (w/w, represented as CK, BCM1, BCM2 and BCM3, respectively). Changes in the availability, leachability and fractions of metals and in sediment chemical properties and enzyme activities (catalase, dehydrogenase) were analysed.

Results and discussion

Results showed that the application of BCM effectively reduced the levels of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic (DTPA)-extractable, CaCl2-extractable and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP)-extractable metals in the sediment. In the BCM3 treatment, DTPA-extractable, levels of CaCl2-extractable and TCLP-extractable metals decreased by 56.61%, 98.20% and 23.57% for Cd, 99.99%, 97.04% and 71.15% for Cu and 82.21%, 97.77% and 55.27% for Ni, respectively. The levels of DTPA-extractable and TCLP-extractable Pb decreased 69.60% and 69.24%, respectively, and the levels of CaCl2-extractable and TCLP-extractable Zn decreased 49.81% and 55.27%, respectively. In addition, BCM application (BCM3) transformed the acid-soluble Cu, Cd and Ni to a more stable fraction, and the levels of acid-soluble Cd and Ni decreased by 28.23% and 5.81%, respectively. The level of acid-soluble Cu was below the detection limit, and reducible Cu was decreased 0.60% in the BCM3 treatment. However, the influence of BCM on the fractions of Pb and Zn was not significant (p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of organic matter, available P and NH4+-N in the treated sediment were significantly increased compared with those undergoing CK treatment. BCM has insignificant influence on sediment pH, available K and NO3-N levels and sediment enzyme activity.

Conclusions

BCM simultaneously reduced the bioavailability and leachability of multiple metals in contaminated sediment. These results suggest that BCM has great potential for the remediation of sediments contaminated with metals.

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Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51704093, 42071267); Program for Innovative Research Team (in Science and Technology) in University of Henan Province (21IRTSTHN008); China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (2020M682284); and Science and Technology Development Project of Henan Province, China (212102310503).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Demonstration Center for Environmental and Planning, College of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China

    Xiaoyu Ma, Qiang Ren, Kaixuan Zheng & Yangyang Wang

  2. National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China

    Wenhao Zhan

  3. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410007, China

    Runhua Chen

  4. State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Xiaoyu Ma

  5. Henan Engineering Research Center for Control & Remediation of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China

    Qiang Ren, Kaixuan Zheng & Yangyang Wang

Authors
  1. Xiaoyu Ma
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  2. Qiang Ren
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  3. Wenhao Zhan
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  4. Kaixuan Zheng
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  5. Runhua Chen
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Correspondence to Yangyang Wang.

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Ma, X., Ren, Q., Zhan, W. et al. Simultaneous stabilization of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Ni in contaminated sediment using modified biochar. J Soils Sediments 22, 392–402 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03086-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03086-8

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