Electrokinetic remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals

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.     

A Strategy of Liquid-Grafted Slippery Sponges with Simultaneously Enhanced Absorption and Desorption Performances for Crude Oil Spill Remediation

Crude oil spill accidents pose a worldwide environmental threat. Oleophilic and hydrophobic absorbents that can selectively absorb oil from water have shown promising application potential in oil spill remediation. Simultaneous optimization of the absorption and desorption speed of absorbents towards oil is highly desirable for their recyclable usage, but remains a great challenge, because these two properties are generally conflicting. Here, a facile and ingenious strategy is proposed to tackle the above challenge via surface modification of porous sponges with highly flexible linear polydimethylsiloxane (LPDMS) brushes. The LPDMS brushes feature liquid-like properties at room temperature owing to its extremely low glass transition temperature, and act as a covalently-grafted lubrication layer throughout the 3D network channels of the sponge, which can minimize contact angle hysteresis and reduce friction between oil and sponge channel. Compared to the prevalent cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane (CPDMS) modification strategy, sponges modified with LPDMS brushes not only shows significantly enhanced absorption speed, but also exhibits superior desorption dynamics towards viscous crude oils. The design strategy of slippery sponges with liquid-like molecules may open a new avenue for developing advanced absorbents with simultaneously enhanced absorption and desorption performances for liquid separation and purification applications.     

Regional mass flux balancing for controlling gentle soil remediation operations

Extraction of heavy metals by accumulating plants is a method which is currently in development for the "gentle" remediation of contaminated agricultural soils (phytoremediation, see [2]). Areal contaminant mass flux balances are basic criteria for the design of such remediations and their control. A framework for the integration of contaminant balances relating the field scale of remediation with the regional scale of soil monitoring networks is provided by the recently developed method PROTERRA [3]. The objective of the study presented in this paper was to test the suitability of PROTERRA for planning and monitoring gentle soil remediations. For this purpose we applied the PROTERRA method to the contaminated agricultural land in and around Dornach, Switzerland, to assess copper flux balances.The calculations showed that atmospheric deposition and the application of pesticides and manure are important pathways for the inputs of copper. The copper export with a special maize cultivar accumulating heavy metals would be about three times higher than the average metal export with crops. A moderate increase of sewage sludge application would lead to a substantial increase of the copper input. Decisions to remediate the soil should take the uncertainty of mass flux balances both on field scale as well as on regional scale into account. Therefore, an important need of further development of the PROTERRA method is the integration of uncertainty analysis on both scales.     

修复土壤,腐植酸能做些什么

我国土壤污染形势严峻,已成为农产品安全和农业可持续发展的一大障碍."十一五"期间已将防治土壤污染列入重要议事日程,"全国土壤污染状况调查和防治项目"业已启动,2006年11月<农产品质量安全法>也开始实施.腐植酸学术界及行业又面临新的机遇和挑战.介绍了我国土壤污染的现状及其治理技术,阐述了腐植酸类物质(HS)修复污染土壤的研究进展、存在问题及应用的可行性,并对今后的研究开发及应用方向提出若干建议.     

Performance evaluation of saponin over other organic acid and tap water for removal of chromium in tannery sludge by electrokinetic enhancement

The performance of Saponin over different electrolyte-mediated electrokinetic (EK) process for removal of Cr(III) from tannery sludge was assessed. Saponin exhibited maximum Cr(III) removal efficiency, i.e. 67.6–80.75% as compared to other groups of processing fluids. The possible mechanistic approach for the highest removal efficiency of saponin over other electrolytes may be attributed to synchronized effect of micelle formation and subsequent complexation and sorption of chromium ions. The highest electroosmotic flow rate of saponin indicated low electroosmotic resistance during EK process, which validates the observed trend. Therefore, saponin can be considered as a promising electrolyte for EK treatment of tannery sludge.

Abbreviation: CA: Citric acid; LA: lactic acid; OA: oxalic acid; BOD: biochemical oxygen demand; COD: chemical oxygen demand; EK: electokinetic.     

Heterogeneous photocatalytic reduction of Fe(VI) in UV-irradiated titania suspensions: effect of ammonia

Results of the heterogeneous photocatalytic reduction of Fe(VI) in UV-irradiated TiO₂ suspensions in the presence of ammonia are presented. The initial rate of Fe(VI) reduction, R, may be expressed as R = k _Fe(VI)[Fe(VI)]^1.25 where k _Fe(VI) = a[Ammonia]+b), a = 6.0 × 10³ μm ^0.25 s and b = 4.1 × 10⁶ μm ^−1.25s⁻¹. The rate constant, k _Fe(VI), increases with the ammonia concentration. The photocatalytic oxidation of ammonia is enhanced in the presence of Fe(VI). A mechanism involving Fe(V) as a reactive intermediate is presented which explains the faster photocatalytic oxidation of ammonia in the presence of Fe(VI).     

麦秸强化石油烃污染耕地水浸洗盐过程及场地试验

针对油田产出水导致的含油盐污染耕地的生物强化修复,提出在土壤耕作层和主体层间填埋麦秸以强化水浸洗盐和抑制毛细返盐.结果表明,土壤中石油烃的浓度高于1.5% (质量分数)时会导致其疏水性增高而使得水浸润困难.添加5% (质量分数) 麦秸可使含油3.3%(质量分数)的盐污染土壤脱盐率从3%提高到25%,并可抑制毛细返盐.在中原油田实施了6 400　m²的现场实验,在耕作层(距地表25　cm)构建麦秸层,采用井水以及雨水进行洗盐,50 d后耕作层土壤电导率达到正常耕地水平的面积比例由17%提高到80%,Na⁺和Cl^-浓度分别从1 642.5 mg·kg^-1和1 301.2 mg·kg^-1下降到499.3 mg·kg^-1和433.8 mg·kg^-1.修复地块的小麦产量达正常耕地的72%,而对比地块仅为12%.说明添加麦秸可强化油盐混合污染耕地的水浸洗盐并抑制“毛细返盐".该方法操作便捷易行,在油盐混合污染耕地修复中具有很好的应用前景.