Remediation of cadmium-contaminated paddy soils by washing with chemicals: effect of soil washing on cadmium uptake by soybean

We conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the effect of soil washing with CaCl(2) on Cd absorption by two soybean cultivars. The results were as follows: (1) Soybean growth was not significantly different in washed and unwashed soils, but the seed Cd concentration for both cultivars decreased significantly, up to 25%, in the washed soils compared with the unwashed soils. (2) In the washed soils, the Cd concentration in the soil solution indicated an obviously lower value from sowing to the flowering stage; however, the change in Cd speciation was not evident in the CaCl(2)-washed soil solution. Consequently, the effect of soil washing using CaCl(2) on Cd-contaminated paddy soils can be expected to continue after a CaCl(2)-washed paddy field is converted to an upland field.     

Restoration of cadmium-contaminated paddy soils by washing with ferric chloride: Cd extraction mechanism and bench-scale verification

The ability of FeCl3 to extract Cd from three paddy soils was compared with that of various irons, manganese, and zinc salts to elucidate the extraction mechanism. Manganese, zinc and iron salts (including FeCl3) extracted 4-41%, 8-44% and 24-66% of total Cd, respectively. This difference reflected the pH of the extraction solution, indicating that the primary mechanism of Cd extraction by FeCl3 is proton release coupled with hydroxide generation, as iron hydroxides are insoluble. Washing with FeCl3 led to the formation of Cd-chloride complexes, enhancing Cd extraction from the soils. FeCl3 effectively extracted Cd from all of the three soils compared to HCl that is a conventional washing chemical, when the concentrations of the two washing chemicals were between 15 and 60mM(c) (at above extraction pH 2.4), while the corresponding extraction pH of FeCl3 was slightly higher than HCl. As HCl is the strong acid of complete dissociation, if excess amount of HCl was added to soil, it is possible to give the dissolution of clay minerals in soils. In contrast, proton release from FeCl3 is controlled by the chemical equilibrium of hydroxide formation. While soil fertility properties were affected by a bench-scale soil washing with 45mM(c) FeCl3, adverse effects were not crucial and could be corrected. The bench-scale test confirmed the effectiveness of FeCl3 for removal of soil Cd. The washing had no negative effect on rice yield and lowered the Cd concentration of rice grain and rice straw in a pot experiment.     

Remediation of cadmium-contaminated paddy soils by washing with calcium chloride: verification of on-site washing

We developed a new, three-step soil-wash method to remediate Cd-contaminated paddy fields. The method comprises (1) chemically washing the field soil with a CaCl2 solution; (2) washing the treated soil with water to eliminate residual Cd and CaCl2; and (3) on-site treatment of wastewater using a portable wastewater treatment system. Cd concentrations in the treated water were below Japan's environmental quality standard (0.01 mg Cd L-1), and the removal of Cd from the exchangeable fraction was 55% and from the acid-soluble fraction 15%. While soil fertility properties were affected by the soil washing, adverse effects were not crucial and could be corrected. The washing had no affect on rice growth, and reduced the average Cd concentration in rice grains by about two-thirds compared to a control plot. These results confirmed the effectiveness of the soil-wash method in remediating Cd-contaminated paddy fields.     

Remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils and washing effluents

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the distribution of various arsenic species in tailings and soils. Other specific goal of the tests were to evaluate the extraction efficiency of arsenic using alkaline or acid washing, to determine optimum operational parameters of alkaline washing, and to evaluate the arsenic precipitation of washing effluents by pH adjustment or ferric chloride addition. Alkaline washing using sodium hydroxide was found to be favorable in removing arsenic from tailings or soils having a higher portion of arsenic in the operationally defined crystalline mineral fraction of crystalline oxide and amorphous aluminosilicates. This is due to the ligand displacement reaction of hydroxyl ions with arsenic species and high pH conditions that can prevent readsorption of arsenic because predominant negatively charged crystalline oxides do not attract the negatively charged oxyanions. For tailings, sodium hydroxide had 10-20 times higher extraction efficiencies than hydrochloric- or citric acid. The optimum concentration of sodium hydroxide for soil washing was determined to be 200 mM for all samples, while the optimum ratios were 10:1 and 5:1 for tailings and field/river sedimentary soils, respectively. The washing effluent of river soil was effectively treated by adjusting pH to 5-6 with hydrochloric acid, resulting in arsenic concentrations of <50 microgl(-1). In the case of field soil effluent, an addition of ferric chloride with a minimum mass ratio of 11 (Fe/As) was needed to reduce the arsenic below 50 microgl(-1).     

Influence of solution acidity and CaCl2 concentration on the removal of heavy metals from metal-contaminated rice soils

Soil washing is considered a useful technique for remediating metal-contaminated soils. This study examined the release edges of Cd, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu or Pb in two contaminated rice soils from central Taiwan. The concentrations exceeding the trigger levels established by the regulatory agency of Taiwan were Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr for the Ho-Mei soil and Pb for the Nan-Tou soil. Successive extractions with HCl ranging from 0 to 0.2 M showed increased release of the heavy metals with declining pH, and the threshold pH value below which a sharp increase in the releases of the heavy metals was highest for Cd, Zn, and Ni (pH 4.6 to 4.9), intermediate for Pb and Cu (3.1 to 3.8) and lowest for Fe (2.1), Al (2.2) and Cr (1.7) for the soils. The low response slope of Ni and Cr particularly for the rice soils make soil washing with the acid up to the highest concentration used ineffective to reduce their concentrations to below trigger levels. Although soil washing with 0.1 M HCl was moderately effective in reducing Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd, which brought pH of the soils to 1.1+/-0.1 (S.D.), the concurrent release of large quantities of Fe and Al make this remediation technique undesirable for the rice soils containing high clay. Successive washings with 0.01 M HCl could be considered an alternative as the dissolution of Fe and Al was minimal, and between 46 to 64% of Cd, Zn, and Cu for the Ho-Mei soil and 45% of Pb in the Na-Tou soil were extracted after four successive extractions with this dilute acid solution. The efficacy of Cd extraction improved if CaCl2 was added to the acid solution. The correlation analysis revealed that Cr extracted was highly correlated (P < 0.001) with Fe extracted, whereas the Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd or Pb extracted was better correlated (P < 0.001) with Al than with Fe extracted. It is possible that the past seasonal soil flooding and drainage in the soils for rice production was conducive to incorporating Cr within the structure of Fe oxide, thereby making them extremely insoluble even in 0.2 M HCl solution. The formation of solid solution of Ni with Al oxide was also possible, making it far less extractable than Cd, Zn, Cu, or Pb with the acid concentrations used.     

Optimizing the molarity of a EDTA washing solution for saturated-soil remediation of trace metal contaminated soils

Three experiments were conducted to optimize the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for reclaiming urban soils contaminated with trace metals. As compared to Na(2)EDTA, (NH(4))(2)EDTA extracted 60% more Zn and equivalent amounts of Cd, Cu and Pb from a sandy loam. When successively saturating and draining loamy sand columns during a washing cycle, which submerged it once with a (NH(4))(2)EDTA wash and four times with deionised water, the post-wash rinses largely contributed to the total cumulative extraction of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Both the washing solution and the deionised water rinses were added in a 2:5 liquid to soil (L:S) weight ratio. For equal amounts of EDTA, concentrating the washing solution and applying it and the ensuing rinses in a smaller 1:5 L:S weight ratio, instead of a 2:5 L:S weight ratio, increased the extraction of targeted Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn.     

Effect of chemical amendments on the concentration of cadmium and lead in long-term contaminated soils

The availability of metal in contaminated soil can be reduced by the addition of soil amendments. The objectives of this study are to study the effects of applying different soil amendments on the concentration of Cd and Pb in soil solution, DTPA or EDTA extractable Cd and Pb, and the uptake of Cd and Pb by wheat (Triticum vulgare) when growing in long-term Cd and Pb-contaminated soils, more than 20 years. The soil amendments, including check, compost, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium carbonate mixed with zinc oxide, and calcium carbonate mixed with compost, were conducted in a four replicates pot cultural study. The amended soils were incubated for six months under 60% of water holding capacity. Following incubation, wheat was grown for four months in greenhouse. Analyses of Cd concentration demonstrated a significant decrease in soil solution concentration and DTPA or EDTA extractable in soils amended with calcium carbonate or calcium carbonate mixed with ZnO (or compost) (p<0.01). These amendments can significantly reduce the Cd concentration in the grain, leaf and stem, or reduce the total Cd uptake in all parts of wheat species grown in highly contaminated soil amended with calcium carbonate or calcium carbonate mixed with ZnO (or compost) (p<0.01). The concentration of Cd in soil solution and extracted with DTPA or EDTA can predict the Cd concentration in wheat, especially for soil solution.     

外源Cd对不同利用方式红壤脲酶活性的影响

采用室内培养实验,通过将外源Cd添加到同一母质、全镉含量相近的不同利用方式的红壤中(林地、水稻土和菜园土),研究了外源Cd污染对不同利用方式红壤脲酶活性的影响。结果表明:整个培养过程中,Cd污染对3种红壤脲酶活性都有抑制作用,且随重金属浓度的增强而增强。同剂量Cd污染对3种红壤脲酶活性的抑制效应不同,大小为林地>水稻土>菜园土。实验设定的Cd处理水平下,对林地、水稻土和菜园土脲酶活性产生显著抑制作用(p<0.05)的Cd浓度分别为5、30和50 mg/kg土。     

Remediation of toxic metal contaminated soil by washing with biodegradable aminopolycarboxylate chelants

Ex situ soil washing with synthetic extractants such as, aminopolycarboxylate chelants (APCs) is a viable treatment alternative for metal-contaminated site remediation. EDTA and its homologs are widely used among the APCs in the ex situ soil washing processes. These APCs are merely biodegradable and highly persistent in the aquatic environments leading to the post-use toxic effects. Therefore, an increasing interest is focused on the development and use of the eco-friendly APCs having better biodegradability and less environmental toxicity. The paper deals with the results from the lab-scale washing treatments of a real sample of metal-contaminated soil for the removal of the ecotoxic metal ions (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) using five biodegradable APCs, namely [S,S]-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, imminodisuccinic acid, methylglycinediacetic acid, DL-2-(2-carboxymethyl) nitrilotriacetic acid (GLDA), and 3-hydroxy-2,2′-iminodisuccinic acid. The performance of those biodegradable APCs was evaluated for their interaction with the soil mineral constituents in terms of the solution pH and metal-chelant stability constants, and compared with that of EDTA. Speciation calculations were performed to identify the optimal conditions for the washing process in terms of the metal-chelant interactions as well as to understand the selectivity in the separation ability of the biodegradable chelants towards the metal ions. A linear relationship between the metal extraction capacity of the individual chelants towards each of the metal ions from the soil matrix and metal-chelant conditional stability constants for a solution pH greater than 6 was observed. Additional considerations were derived from the behavior of the major potentially interfering cations (Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, and Mn), and it was hypothesized that use of an excess of chelant may minimize the possible competition effects during the single-step washing treatments. Sequential extraction procedure was used to determine the metal distribution in the soil before and after the extractive decontamination using biodegradable APCs, and the capability of the APCs in removing the metal ions even from the theoretically immobilized fraction of the contaminated soil was observed. GLDA appeared to possess the greatest potential to decontaminate the soil through ex situ washing treatment compared to the other biodegradable chelants used in the study.     

Effect of multiple washing operations on the removal of potentially toxic metals from an alkaline farmland soil and the strategy for agricultural reuse

Few studies have carried out soil washing experiments using pot experiments to simulate in situ soil washing operations, particularly for alkaline soils. This study explored the effects of multiple washing operations using pot experiments on the removal efficiencies of potentially toxic metals (PTM) from alkaline farmland soil and the reuse strategy of washed soil for safe agricultural production. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn after seven washings with a mixed chelator (EDTA, GLDA, and citric acid) were 41.1%, 47.1%, 14.7%, and 26.5%, respectively, which was close to the results of the EDTA treatment. For the alkaline soil studied, the second washing with the mixed chelators most effectively removed PTM owing to the activation of them after the first washing operation. The mixed chelator more effectively increased the proportion of stable fraction of PTM and maintained soil nutrients (e.g., nitrogen content) than EDTA, indicating little disturbance of alkaline soil quality after washing with the mixed chelator. After the amendment of the washed soil, there was no visible difference in the biomass weight of crops from the soils washed with different agents, indicating that the inhibitory effect of both washing agents on plant growth was effectively alleviated. The Cd and Pb contents in Z. mays were below the threshold of Hygienical Standard for Feeds of China (GB 13078–2017) (1 and 30 mg·kg^?1). Moreover, after three cropping operations, the available concentrations of PTM in the soil washed with the mixed chelator were lower than those in the soil washed with EDTA, indicating the value and potential of agricultural reuse of alkaline farmland soil washed with the mixed chelator.

Graphical abstract

     

Chemical speciation and extractability of Zn,Cu and Cd in two contrasting biosolids-amended clay soils

An incubation experiment was conducted to study the chemical speciation and extractability of three heavy metals in two contrasting biosolids-amended clay soils. One was a paddy soil of pH 7.8 and the other was a red soil of pH 4.7 collected from a fallow field. Anaerobically digested biosolids were mixed with each of the two soils at three rates: 20, 40 and 60 g kg(-1) soil (DM basis), and unamended controls were also prepared. The biosolids-amended and control soils were incubated at 70% of water holding capacity at 25 degrees C for 50 days. Separate subsamples were extracted with three single extractants and a three-step sequential extraction procedure representing acetic acid (HOAc)-soluble, reducible and oxidisable fractions to investigate the extractability and speciation of the heavy metals. As would be expected, there were good relationships between biosolids application rate and metal concentrations in the biosolids-amended soils. The three heavy metals had different extractabilities and chemical speciation in the two biosolids-amended soils. Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid extracted more Cu, Zn and Cd than did the other two single extractants. The oxidisable fraction was the major fraction for Cu in both biosolids-amended soils and the HOAc-soluble and reducible fractions accounted for most of the Zn. In contrast, Cd was present mainly in the reducible fraction. The results are discussed in relation to the mobility and bioavailability of the metals in polluted soils.     

Cadmium (Cd) distribution and contamination in Chinese paddy soils on national scale

Rice is a staple food by an increasing number of people in China. As more issues have arisen in China due to rice contaminated by cadmium (Cd), Cd contamination in arable soils has become a severe problem. In China, many studies have examined Cd contamination in arable soils on a national scale, but little studies have focused on the distribution of Cd in paddy fields. This study explored the spatial pattern of Cd in paddy soils in China, made a preliminary evaluation of the potential risk, and identified the most critically contaminated regions based on the domestic rough rice trade flow. The results showed that Cd concentrations in paddy soils in China ranged from 0.01 to 5.50 mg/kg, with a median value of 0.23 mg/kg. On average, the highest Cd concentrations were in Hunan (0.73 mg/kg), Guangxi (0.70 mg/kg), and Sichuan (0.46 mg/kg) provinces. Cd concentrations in paddy soils in central and western regions were higher than those in eastern regions, especially the southeastern coastal regions. Of the administrative regions, Cd standard exceedance rate was 33.2 %, and the heavy pollution rate was 8.6 %. Regarding to Cd of paddy soil, soil environmental quality was better in Northeast China Plain than in Yangtze River Basin and southeastern coastal region. Mining activities were the main anthropogenic pollution source of Cd in Chinese paddy soil. Based on rice trade, more of the Chinese population would be exposed to Cd through intake of rice produced in Hunan province. Certain regions that output rice, especially Hunan province, should be given priority in the management and control of Cd contamination in paddy soil.     

Acid washing and stabilization of an artificial arsenic-contaminated soil.

An acid-washing process was studied on a laboratory scale to extract the bulk of arsenic(V) from a highly contaminated Kuroboku soil (Andosol) so as to minimize the risk of arsenic to human health and the environment. The sorption and desorption behavior of arsenic in the soil suggested the possibility of arsenic leaching under acidic conditions. Artificially contaminated Kuroboku soil (2830 mg As/kg soil) was washed with different concentrations of hydrogen fluoride, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen chloride, nitric acid, perchloric acid, hydrogen bromide, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, 3:1 hydrogen chloride-nitric acid, or 2:1 nitric acid-perchloric acid. Phosphoric acid proved to be most promising as an extractant, attaining 99.9% arsenic extraction at 9.4% acid concentration in 6 h. Sulfuric acid also attained high percentage extraction. The arsenic extraction by these acids reached equilibrium within 2 h. Elovich-type equation best described most of the kinetic data for dissolution of soil components as well as for extraction of arsenic. Dissolution of the soil components could be minimized by ceasing acid washing in 2 h. The acid-washed soil was further stabilized by the addition of lanthanum, cerium, and iron(III) salts or their oxides or hydroxides which form insoluble complex with arsenic. Both salts and oxides of lanthanum and cerium were effective in immobilizing arsenic in the soil attaining less than 0.01 mg/l As in the leaching test.     

Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the Pearl River Delta,South China

There is a growing public concern over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils in China owing to rapid urban and industrial development and increasing reliance on agrochemicals in the last several decades. Excessive accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils may not only result in environmental contamination, but elevated heavy metal uptake by crops may also affect food quality and safety. The present study is aimed at studying heavy metal concentrations of crop, paddy and natural soils in the Pearl River Delta, one of the most developed regions in China. In addition, some selected soil samples were analyzed for chemical partitioning of Co, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Pb isotopic composition of the extracted solutions was also determined. The analytical results indicated that the crop, paddy and natural soils in many sampling sites were enriched with Cd and Pb. Furthermore, heavy metal enrichment was most significant in the crop soils, which might be attributed to the use of agrochemicals. Flooding of the paddy soils and subsequent dissolution of Mn oxides may cause the loss of Cd and Co through leaching and percolation, resulting in low Cd and Co concentrations of the paddy soils. The chemical partitioning patterns of Pb, Zn and Cu indicated that Pb was largely associated with the Fe-Mn oxide and residual fractions, while Zn was predominantly found in the residual phase. A significant percent fraction of Cu was bound in the organic/sulphide and residual phases. Based on the 206Pb/207Pb ratios of the five fractions, it was evident that some of the soils were enriched with anthropogenic Pb, such as industrial and automobile Pb. The strong associations between anthropogenic Pb and the Fe-Mn oxide and organic/sulphide phases suggested that anthropogenic Pb was relatively stable after deposition in soils.     

污染土壤的淋洗法修复研究进展

污染土壤淋洗技术是修复污染土壤的一种新方法 ,是对污染土壤生物修复的一种补充 ,使污染土壤修复的系统化成为可能。淋洗法主要使用淋洗剂清洗土壤 ,使土壤中污染物随淋洗剂流出 ,然后对淋洗剂及土壤进行后续处理 ,从而达到修复污染土壤的目的。因为淋洗剂的种类和淋洗方式的不同 ,土壤淋洗法可分为许多种类。土壤淋洗法主要受土壤条件、污染物类型、淋洗剂的种类和运行方式等因素影响。综合考虑多方面因素 ,就有潜力设计出经济高效的土壤淋洗系统。土壤淋洗法有很多优点 ,尽管也存在一些问题 ,但其技术上的优势也是其他方法难以取代的 ,所以有良好的应用前景。     

The effects of pH and soil type on concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel extracted by calcium chloride from sewage sludge-treated soils

The effects of pH on concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel extracted by calcium chloride from a clay loam and two sandy loam soils that had been treated with sewage sludge were studied. Concentrations of all the metals increased rapidly as pH decreased below a threshold value ranging from 6.2 to 7.0 for Zn, 6.2 to 7.2 for Ni and 4.7 to 5.7 for Cu. Both the total concentrations and the threshold pH values were influenced by differences in soil texture and (between the two light-textured soils) by differences in soil cation exchange capacity. The amount of zinc and copper extracted from the mixtures was considerably less than that extracted from the same quantity of sludge alone.     

Recycling of EDTA solution after soil washing of Pb, Zn, Cd and As contaminated soil

Soil washing with EDTA is known to be an effective means of removing toxic metals from contaminated soil. A practical way of recycling of used soil washing solution remains, however, an unsolved technical problem. We demonstrate here, in a laboratory scale experiment, the feasibility of using acid precipitation to recover up to 50% of EDTA from used soil washing solution obtained after extraction of Pb (5330 mg kg⁻¹), Zn (3400 mg kg⁻¹), Cd (35 mg kg⁻¹) and As (279 mg kg⁻¹) contaminated soil. Up to 100% of EDTA residual in the washing solution and 100%, 97%, 98% and 100% of initial Pb, Zn, Cd and As concentration in the solution, respectively, were removed in an electrolytic cell using a graphite anode. We employed the recovered EDTA and treated washing solution to prepare recycled soil washing solution with the same potential for extracting toxic metals from soil as the original. The efficiency of soil washing depends on the EDTA concentration. Using twice recycled 30 mmol EDTA kg⁻¹ soil, we removed 44%, 20%, 53% and 61% of Pb, Zn, Cd and As, respectively, from contaminated soil.     

Prediction of Cadmium uptake by brown rice and derivation of soil–plant transfer models to improve soil protection guidelines

Cadmium (Cd) levels in paddy fields across Taiwan have increased due to emission from industry. To ensure the production of rice that meets food quality standards, predictive models or suitable soil tests are needed to evaluate the quality of soils to be used for rice cropping. Levels of Cd in soil and rice grains were measured in 19 paddy fields across the western plains in Taiwan. Cadmium levels in soil range from less than 0.1 mg kg^?1 to 30 mg kg^?1. Measured Cd levels in brown rice were predicted very well (R² > 0.8) based on Cd and Zinc in a 0.01 M CaCl₂ extract or a soil–plant transfer model using the reactive soil Cd content, pH, and cation exchange capacity. In contrast to current soil quality standards used in Taiwan, such models are effective in identifying soils where Cd in rice will exceed food quality standards.     

Biodegradation and speciation of residual SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) in soil solution left after soil washing

This paper aims to investigate the degradation and speciation of EDDS-complexes (SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid) in soil following soil washing. The changes in soil solution metal and EDDS concentrations were investigated for three polluted soils. EDDS was degraded after a lag phase of 7-11 days with a half-life of 4.18-5.60 days. No influence of EDDS-speciation on the reaction was observed. The decrease in EDDS resulted in a corresponding decrease in solubilized metals. Changes in EDDS speciation can be related to (1) initial composition of the soil, (2) temporarily anoxic conditions in the soil slurry after soil washing, (3) exchange of EDDS complexes with Cu even in soils without elevated Cu and (4) formation of NiEDDS. Dissolved organic matter is important for metal speciation at low EDDS concentrations. Our results show that even in polluted soils EDDS is degraded from a level of several hundred micromoles to below 1 microM within 50 days.     

Scavenging of BHCs and DDTs from soil by thermal desorption and solvent washing

Intensive remediation of abandoned former organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) manufacturing areas is necessary because the central and surrounding soils contaminated by OCPs are harmful to crop production and food safety. Organochlorine and its residues are persistent in environments and difficult to remove from contaminated soils due to their low solubility and higher sorption to the soils. We performed a comprehensive study on the remediation of OCPs-contaminated soils using thermal desorption technique and solvent washing approaches. The tested soil was thermally treated at 225, 325, 400, and 500 °C for 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, and 90 min, respectively. In addition, we tested soil washing with several organic solvents including n-alcohols and surfactants. The optimal ratio of soil/solvent was tested, and the recycling of used ethanol was investigated. Finally, activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), urease (URE), alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase (ACP), and invertase (INV) were assayed in the treated soils. The tested soil was thermally treated at 500 °C for 30 min, and the concentration of contaminants in soil was decreased from 3,115.77 to 0.33 mg kg^?1. The thermal desorption in soil was governed by the first-order kinetics model. For the chemical washing experiment, ethanol showed a higher efficiency than any other solvent. Using a 1:20 ratio of soil/solvent, the maximum removal of OCPs was achieved within 15 min. Under this condition, approximately 87 % of OCPs was removed from the soils. More than 90 % of ethanol in the spent wash fluid could be recovered. Activities of some enzymes in soils were increased after ethanol treatment. But ALP, ACP, and INV activities were decreased and PPO and URE showed slightly higher activities following remediation by thermal treatment. Both heating temperature and time were the key factors for thermal desorption of OCPs. The n-alcohol solvent showed higher removal of OCPs from soils than surfactants. The highly efficient removal of OCPs from soil was achieved using ethanol. More than 90 % of ethanol could be recovered and be reused following distillation. This study provides a cost-effective and highly efficient way to remediate the OCPs-contaminated soils.