有机酸与表面活性剂联合作用对土壤重金属的浸提效果研究

重金属污染土壤的原位淋洗修复既要实现对重金属的高效去除,还要尽量减少对土壤性质的破坏,这一点在农业污染土壤修复中尤为重要。以张士污灌区农田土壤为研究对象,利用振荡浸提技术筛选有机酸和表面活性剂组合,并确定了两者联合淋洗修复污染土壤的最佳配比。结果表明:有机酸(酒石酸、乙酸、柠檬酸和苹果酸)中的酒石酸浓度为0.5 mol.L-1和表面活性剂(SDBS、鼠李糖和皂素)中的皂素质量分数为0.7%时对土壤Cd、Pb、Zn的浸提效果较好;在酒石酸与皂素体积配比为1∶1时,对重金属Cd、Pb、Zn浸提效果最好,浸提率分别为87.62%、36.30%、20.67%;单一有机酸、表面活性剂或者有机酸与表面活性剂的混合溶液,对土壤重金属的浸提效果均为Cd>Pb>Zn。虽然有机酸与表面活性剂联合浸提效果略低于酒石酸浸提,但其弱酸性对土壤性质影响较小,在原位淋洗修复工程中有较好的应用前景。     

有机酸-氯化物复合浸提去除土壤重金属的效应及对土壤理化性质的影响

化学淋洗作为一种高效、能彻底去除土壤重金属污染的修复技术而受到广泛关注,其中淋洗剂的选择是淋洗技术的关键,另外淋洗修复后土壤性质的变化一直是限制淋洗技术推广应用的因素之一。以某冶炼厂周边重金属Cd、Pb污染农田土壤为研究对象,采用振荡浸提方法,研究了有机酸(柠檬酸、酒石酸、苹果酸、乙酸和草酸)与氯化物(Fe Cl__3、Ca Cl_2、Mg Cl_2、KCl_和Na Cl_)单独浸提,以及有机酸与氯化物复合浸提对土壤中Cd、Pb的去除效果,并测定了浸提前后土壤理化性质的变化。结果表明,有机酸对土壤中Cd、Pb的去除效率大小顺序为柠檬酸苹果酸(酒石酸)草酸乙酸;氯化物大小顺序为Fe Cl__3Ca Cl_2Mg Cl_2KCl_Na Cl_。柠檬酸(150 mmol·L~(-1))和Fe Cl__3(50 mmol·L~(-1))复合浸提,对Cd、Pb的去除率显著提高,对于老王寨土样,分别达到44.6%和29.0%,而柠檬酸和Fe Cl__3单独浸提分别为36.4%和15.1%、28.0%和10.9%;对于大田湾土样,对Cd、Pb的去除率分别达到64.4%和16.9%,而柠檬酸单独浸提为445.4%和10.8%,Fe Cl__3单独浸提Cd只有5.0%,Pb几乎未洗出。柠檬酸(100 mmol·L~(-1))与Fe Cl__3(50 mmol·L~(-1))复合连续浸提3次后,老王寨和大田湾土样土壤p H值下降显著,分别下降2.45和4.03个单位;CEC和速效N、P、K含量下降显著,游离氧化铝显著增加,有机质变化不显著。淋洗修复后的农田土壤重金属含量大幅降低,为后续实施植物修复等技术降低压力和风险,后续耕作,建议施加碱石灰调节土壤p H,并补充N、P、K肥料。     

表面活性剂对土壤中重金属清洗及有效态的影响

采用两种常用的表面活性剂-十二烷基苯磺酸钠(阴离子型)、Tween-80(非离子型),对锦州铁合金厂周边Zn、Cd及Pb重金属污染土壤进行化学修复试验,研究两种表面活性剂对重金属Zn、Cd及Pb的去除率及化学形态影响.结果表明,随着表面活性剂浓度的提高,两种表面活性剂对Pb、Cd及Zn的去除作用增强,Tween-80溶液的浓度越高,对重金属的萃取效果越好,对重金属的去除能力大小顺序为Cd>Zn>Pb,最大去除率分别为83.07%、56.78%及42.57%;十二烷基苯磺酸钠在低浓度时对Cd和Pb的去除效果不明显,而对金属Zn的去除效果较好,在0.09 mol.L-1时达到最大值83.86%;与淋溶前土壤中重金属有效态含量相比较,经不同浓度十二烷基苯磺酸钠淋洗后土壤中Cd有效态含量随LAS浓度的升高而先增加后下降,而Pb的有效态含量随十二烷基苯磺酸钠升高而增加;经不同浓度Tween-80淋洗后土壤中Zn及Cd有效态含量都是随Tween-80浓度的升高而先增加后下降,Pb有效态含量随Tween-80升高而下降.     

EGTA淋洗和KH2PO4钝化联合修复重金属污染土壤

为进一步削减螯合淋洗后土壤残留重金属的环境风险,采用淋洗与钝化相结合的方法修复重金属污染土壤.研究了乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸(EGTA)淋洗、磷酸二氢钾(KH_2PO_4)钝化及两者联合修复对土壤重金属洗脱率的影响,并分别采用TCLP法和BCR法分析重金属浸出浓度及化学形态分布,构建了涵盖土壤重金属残留量、生物有效性和毒性的环境风险评价方法,对淋洗、钝化及其联合修复效果进行了评价.结果表明,EGTA对Cu和Cd具有较好的洗脱效果,降低了土壤Cu、Zn和Cd浸出浓度,提高了Pb浸出浓度,削减了可还原态Cu残留量、弱酸提取态和可还原态Zn残留量、可还原态Pb残留量以及弱酸提取态、可还原态Cd残留量.随着KH_2PO_4投加量的增加,Pb、Cd和Cu浸出浓度呈下降趋势,Zn浸出浓度先上升后下降.KH_2PO_4对重金属形态分布的影响主要表现为降低弱酸态或可还原态重金属占比,提高残渣态重金属占比.EGTA和KH_2PO_4联合修复显著降低了4种重金属的可还原态残留量和弱酸提取态Pb、Cd残留量,大幅度削减了Cd和Cu的浸出浓度和环境风险.Zn污染土壤宜淋洗修复,Pb污染土壤宜钝化修复,Cd和Cu污染土壤深度修复宜淋洗/钝化联合处理.     

超声辅助乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸洗脱土壤重金属及环境风险削减评价

采用超声辅助乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸(EGTA)淋洗修复重金属污染土壤,结果表明,超声辅助EGTA对Cu和Cd的洗脱效果较好,对Zn和Pb的洗脱能力较弱,增加液固比可显著提高淋洗效果,增加超声时间和功率的效果则相对较小.淋洗处理后Cu、Zn和Cd浸出浓度减小,Pb浸出浓度增加.构建综合考虑土壤重金属残留量、浸出浓度和毒性的环境风险指数对修复效果进行评价,考察了EGTA投加量、液固比、超声时间以及超声功率等淋洗条件对重金属去除率和环境风险削减率的影响,并进行模拟和优化.当淋洗条件为EGTA投加量1.7 g·L~(-1)、液固比10、超声时间40 min、超声功率600 W时,环境风险削减率预测值为79.7%,实测值为78.0%.可还原态Cu残留量、弱酸提取态Pb残留量和可还原态Zn残留量显著减少,弱酸提取态Zn残留量显著增加,而Cd各不同形态组分残留量均显著减少.超声辅助EGTA淋洗可有效削减Cu和Zn环境风险,但显著提高了Pb环境风险,EGTA投加量过高还可能提高Cd的环境风险.因此不适用于Pb污染土壤修复,用于Cd污染土壤修复时需管控其可能产生的二次污染风险.     

端羧基超支化型淋洗剂对尾矿库区土壤重金属的淋洗效果

通过熔融聚合法,以三羟甲基丙烷为中心核,柠檬酸为共聚单体,成功制备了端羧基型超支化聚合物,并采用振荡淋洗法研究了所制备的超支化聚合物在不同因素影响下对尾矿库区污染土壤Cd、Pb和Zn的淋洗效果.实验结果表明,随着端羧基超支化型淋洗剂使用浓度的增加及淋洗时间的延长,HBP-COOH对Cd、Pb和Zn的去除率总体呈现增大趋势.在C_(HBP)=1.0%,且pH=3时,HBP-COOH对Cd、Zn的去除率分别为73.2%和48.1%;在pH=5且C_(HBP)=1.0%时,对Pb的去除率为69.2%,而且HBP-COOH对Cd的去除效果最佳.相比于柠檬酸而言,HBP-COOH对重金属具有更好的去除效果,且经HBP-COOH淋洗后,土壤的基本理化性质变化相对较小.综合考虑,HBP-COOH可以作为尾矿库区污染土壤Cd、Pb和Zn的环境友好型淋洗剂.     

柠檬酸对中低污染土壤中重金属的淋洗动力学

采用0.05 mol·L-1的柠檬酸作为淋洗剂,对受酸性矿山废水污染的中低污染负荷土壤中Cd、Pb、Cu、Zn进行了振荡淋洗研究,并运用一级动力学方程、Elovich方程和双常数方程进行模拟.结果表明,污染土壤中重金属CA、Pb、Cu、Zn的去除率随着淋洗时间的延长而不断增加.中污染负荷土壤的Cd、Pb、Cu、Zn去除率高于低污染负荷土壤.双常数方程是描述污染土壤中Cd、Pb、Cu、Zn淋洗动力学过程的最佳方程.Cd、Pb、Cu、Zn的淋洗去除速率随淋洗时间延长而不断降低,其在中污染土壤中的淋洗去除速率大于在低污染土壤中的淋洗去除速率.柠檬酸适合用于受酸性矿山废水污染的中等污染程度中重金属的淋洗去除.     

EGTA/TSP联合修复模拟重金属污染黄棕壤及其环境风险评价

针对淋洗可能导致土壤残留重金属活化问题,研究淋洗/钝化联合修复对重金属污染土壤风险的削减作用。以乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸[ethylenebis (oxyethylenenitrilo) tetraacetic acid,EGTA]为淋洗剂,以重过磷酸钙(triple super phosphate,TSP)为钝化剂,研究了EGTA投加量、液固比、淋洗时间和TSP投加量等对模拟重金属污染黄棕壤中Cu、Zn、Pb和Cd 4种重金属洗脱率和浸出浓度的影响,通过响应面法设计多因素实验,拟合了土壤重金属环境风险削减率与EGTA投加量、液固比及TSP投加量之间的关系,采用涵盖土壤重金属含量、浸出浓度和毒性的土壤重金属环境风险评价方法对修复效果进行评价。结果表明,EGTA对Cu和Cd的洗脱率较高,可显著降低Zn和Cd浸出浓度。增加淋洗时间有助于提高Cu、Zn和Cd洗脱率并降低其浸出浓度,但提高了Pb浸出浓度。随着液固比的增加,Zn和Pb洗脱率呈上升趋势,Cd洗脱率呈下降趋势,Cu洗脱率先提高后下降;Cu、Zn和Cd浸出浓度呈下降趋势,而Pb浸出浓度呈上升趋势。TSP钝化大幅度削减了Pb浸出浓度。总环境风险削减率(β)与EGTA投加量、液固比及TSP投加量呈二次方关系,当EGTA投加量为1.0 g·L~(-1),液固比为10,TSP投加量w为2%时,β为62.80%,与验证实验结果相近,表明模型具有较好的模拟和预测能力。提高EGTA投加量和液固比可以大幅度降低Cu、Zn和Cd的环境风险,TSP钝化处理对Pb环境风险的削减作用较好,EGTA投加量与液固比以及EGTA投加量与TSP投加量对β表现为协同作用。     

生物炭、沸石与膨润土混施对玉米生长和吸收Cd、Pb、Zn的影响研究

矿区周边农田土壤重金属污染严重威胁着粮食安全,利用原位钝化修复技术,在农业生产的同时进行重金属污染农田土壤治理,收获符合卫生标准的农产品,具有重要的现实意义。选取生物炭、沸石粉和膨润土3种钝化剂开展田间试验,研究不同用量钝化剂单施及混施对玉米(Zea mays L.)生长、玉米籽粒吸收Cd、Pb、Zn与土壤有效态Cd、Pb、Zn等的影响,旨在为Cd-Zn复合污染农田安全生产和阻控提供数据支持。结果表明:单施及混施不同用量钝化剂均能促进玉米株高、叶面积和生物量增加,显著提高玉米产量(P0.05),钝化剂处理较对照CK增产3.41%-31.69%。不同钝化剂处理可提高土壤pH值和有机质含量,明显降低土壤中的有效态Cd、Pb、Zn含量,与CK相比,单施及混施不同用量钝化剂导致土壤有效态Cd、Pb、Zn分别降低23.02%-45.24%、4.86%-21.46%、16.38%-32.60%,其中5%SFP(5%生物炭+5%沸石粉+5%膨润土)处理降低效果最显著,2%SFP处理次之;单施及混施不同用量钝化剂都能降低玉米籽粒对Cd、Pb、Zn的吸收,其中5%SFP处理能明显降低玉米籽粒中Cd、Pb、Zn含量,较CK分别降低68.18%,39.49%,31.83%。综合表明,在原位钝化修复Cd-Zn复合污染农田土壤时,钝化剂混合施用的效果好于单施,以5%SFP混合施用的效果最佳。     

电气石和沸石对土壤-小麦幼苗系统中重金属行为的影响

为探明电气石对重金属污染土壤的修复能力,本文采用盆栽方法研究了电气石对小麦幼苗的生长及对重金属积累的影响,并与常用改良剂沸石进行修复效果的比较.结果表明,添加电气石和沸石均能有效提高小麦幼苗的株高、干重和叶绿素含量,其中干重最大能提高1.56倍;电气石和沸石处理均能有效降低小麦幼苗对Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn的积累,总体体现为电气石修复效果优于沸石,添加电气石组Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn最大分别降低37.93%、41.45%、16.35%和20.65%.因此,新型材料电气石可用于重金属污染土壤的修复.     

Natural and synthesised iron-rich amendments for As and Pb immobilisation in agricultural soil

The immobilisation of heavy metals in contaminated soils is a promising alternative to conventional remediation techniques. Very few studies have focused on the use of iron-rich nanomaterials and natural materials for the adsorption of toxic metals in soils. Synthesised iron-rich nanomaterials (Fe and Zr–Fe oxides) and natural iron-rich materials (natural red earth; NRE) were used to immobilise As and Pb in contaminated agricultural soil. Total concentrations of As and Pb in the initial soil (as control) were 170.76 and 1945.11 mg kg^?1, respectively. Amendments were applied into the soil at 1, 2.5 and 5% (w/w) in triplicate and incubated for 150 days. Except for the NRE-amended soil, soil pH decreased from 5.6 to 4.9 with increasing application rates of Fe and Zr–Fe oxides. With addition of Fe and Zr–Fe oxides at 5%, the ammonium acetate (NHO₄Ac)-extractable Pb was greatly decreased by 83 and 65% compared with NRE addition (43%). All subjected amendments also led to a decrease in NHO₄Ac-extractable As in the soils, indicating the high capacity of As immobilisation. Soil amended with NRE showed a lower ratio of cy19:0 to 18:1ω7c, indicating decreased microbial stress. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure produced results similar to the NHO₄Ac extraction for As and Pb. The NRE addition is recommended for immobilising heavy metals and maintaining biological soil properties.     

农田重金属污染原位钝化修复研究进展

污染土壤重金属原位钝化修复是通过向土壤中施加一些活性钝化修复材料,通过溶解沉淀、离子交换吸附、氧化还原、有机络合等反应来改变重金属在土壤中的赋存状态,降低土壤中重金属的有效浓度、迁移性和生物有效性。这种方法成本较低、操作简单、见效快且适合大面积推广,在重金属污染土壤修复中有着不可替代的作用。尤其对主要由污水灌溉、大气沉降等造成的农田土壤面源污染,一些具有吸附固定土壤中重金属离子特性的天然物质和工业副产品都可运用在实地的钝化修复中,且不同类型的钝化修复剂对重金属污染土壤的钝化修复效果各不相同。采用实验室评价和实地应用评价,一方面可以评估钝化修复材料对污染土壤中重金属离子的固定效率;另一方面可以评估钝化修复材料对土壤理化性状、养分状况和生物活性的影响。对重金属污染土壤原位钝化修复中不同来源的钝化剂进行了分类,目前广泛使用的钝化修复剂主要包括硅钙物质、含磷材料、有机物料、黏土矿物、金属及金属氧化物、生物碳及新型材料等,概述了它们各自对重金属污染土壤的钝化修复效果。从研究方法、评价指标、环境影响因子、钝化机制以及环境风险评价等方面分析了该领域的研究现状以及存在的主要问题,今后应重点关注钝化修复剂对土壤-作物系统的潜在环境风险以及钝化材料修复效果的田间长期稳定性评价。     

Effects of eggshell addition on calcium-deficient acid soils contaminated with heavy metals

The eggshell was used to remediate the contaminated soil by heavy metals. The eggshell addition decreased the available state of the heavy metals. The available calcium in the soil increased due to eggshell addition. The efficiency was investigated in different moisture conditions. In this study, effects of water conditions (flooded, wet, or dry) and eggshell dosages (0, 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 g/kg soil, respectively) on pH variation, content of unavailable state of heavy metals, form of heavy metals, and available nutritious element calcium (Ca) in acid soils contaminated with heavy metals were investigated, respectively. The soil samples were continuously cultivated indoors and analyzed by toxicity characteristic leaching procedure and community bureau of reference (BCR) sequential extraction procedure. The results showed that the addition of eggshell could effectively improve the pH of acid soil and increase it to neutral level. Moreover, the contents of unavailable state of heavy metals Cu, Zn, and Cd increased significantly. Furthermore, when the soil was cultivated under the flooded condition with 1.0 g/kg eggshell, the unavailable state of Cu, Zn, and Cd increased the most, and these heavy metals were transformed into residual state. On the other hand, the amount of available state of Ca increased to 432.19 from 73.34 mg/kg with the addition of 1.0 g/kg eggshell, which indicated that the addition of eggshell dramatically improved the available state of Ca. Therefore, eggshell could ameliorate the soil environment as it led to the decrease of available heavy metals and improvement of fertilization effectively. In a word, this study indicates that the addition of eggshell would be a new potential method for remediation of acid field soils contaminated with heavy metals.     

土壤原位修复技术研究与应用进展

土壤原位修复技术是指不经挖掘,直接在污染场地就地修复污染土壤的土壤修复技术,具有投资低,对周边环境影响小的特点,是土壤修复的研究热点。土壤原位修复技术主要有淋洗,气相抽提（SVE）,多相抽提（MPVE）,气相喷射（IAS）,生物降解,原位化学氧化（ISCO）,原位化学还原,污染物固定,植物修复等。淋洗法主要用于治理高渗透性土壤中的重金属和难挥发降解的有机物。土壤气相抽提和喷射技术适用于处理土壤中的易挥发污染物,并有常与加热技术,生物处理技术等联用,可以起到促进污染物挥发,增氧促分解的作用。多相抽提法主要用于治理存在大量非水相流体的污染场地,可将土壤中有机相污染物直接抽出。生物降解有生物好氧降解、生物厌氧降解、生物还原降解多种,降解方式由污染物种类和地质条件决定。化学方法可将污染物氧化或还原为低毒无毒物质,周期一般较短。固定污染物可以直接加入药剂反应生成沉淀,也可制造合适条件使微生物生成可沉淀重金属的离子。植物修复主要用于富集重金属,成本低廉,但富集了重金属的植物体的有效利用尚待进一步研究。土壤原位修复需要因地制宜,灵活结合工期、污染情况、地质条件、地面设施等,得出最经济实用的修复方法,并在辅助提高技术上展开更多研究,使原位修复技术更经济有效。     

污染土壤的修复技术研究进展

分析了当前我国严峻的土壤环境状况，并从重金属和有机污染物两个方面，全面介绍了当前污染土壤的各种修复技术，包括物理化学修复方法、植物修复方法和微生物修复方法等；对各种方法的修复原理、已取得的研究进展、存在的优缺点及其将来的发展趋势进行了较全面的综述和展望。文章认为，污染土壤修复将是一项非常具有挑战性同时又是一项非常有前途的修复技术，将会对人类健康和经济可持续发展发挥重要作用。     

Combining potassium chloride leaching with vertical electrokinetics to remediate cadmium-contaminated soils

This study evaluated the feasibility of combining potassium chloride (KCl) leaching and electrokinetic (EK) treatment for the remediation of cadmium (Cd) and other metals from contaminated soils. KCl leaching was compared at three concentrations (0.2%, 0.5%, and 1% KCl). EK treatment was conducted separately to migrate the metals in the topsoil to the subsoil. The combined approach using KCl leaching before or after EK treatment was compared. For the single vertical EK treatment, the removal of Cd, lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) from the topsoil (0–20 cm) was 9.38%, 4.80%, 0.95%, and 10.81%, respectively. KCl leaching at 1% KCl removed 84.06% Cd, 9.95% Pb, 4.34% Cu, and 19.93% Zn from the topsoil, with higher removal efficiency than that of the 0.2% and 0.5% KCl leaching treatments. By combining the KCl leaching and EK treatment, the removal efficiency of heavy metals improved, in particular for the 1% KCl + EK treatment, where the removal rate of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn from the upper surface soil reached 97.79%, 17.69%, 14.37%, and 41.96%, respectively. Correspondingly, the soil Cd content decreased from 4 to 0.21 mg/kg, and was below the Chinese standard limit of 0.3 mg/kg soil. These results indicate that 1% KCl + EK treatment is a good combination technique to mitigate Cd pollution from contaminated soils used for growing rice and leafy vegetables.

     

Washing out heavy metals from contaminated soils from an iron and steel smelting site

Washing is a promising method for separating contaminants bound to the particles of soil ex-situ by chemical mobilization. Laboratory batch washing experiments were conducted using deionized water and varying concentrations of oxalic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid and ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA) to assess the efficiency of using these chemicals as washing agents and to clean up heavy metals from two heavily polluted soils from an iron and streel smelting site. The toxicity reduction index and remediation costs were analyzed, and the results showed that the soils were polluted with Cd, Pb and Zn. Hydrochloric acid and EDTA were more efficient than the other washing agents in the remediation of the test soils. The maximum total toxicity reduction index showed that 0.5 mol·L^-1 hydrochloric acid could achieve the remediation with the lowest costs.     

Entfernung von Schwermetallen aus einem Boden mit hohem Schluffanteil

A soil, containing 2.8% organic carbon and a high concentration (76.4%) of small particles (<63 μm), and which had been contaminated over a long period of time by galvanic waste waters (Ni, Cu) and lead wastes, was subjected to detailed analysis and subsequently treated with various extracting solutions in order to remove the heavy metals. For this purpose, representative samples containing 114 mg kg^?1 Cu, 1151 mg kg^?1 Ni and 366 mg kg^?1 Pb were treated with amino acids and solutions containing other complexing agents, as well as with diluted acids, in order to compare the relative effectiveness of these solutions. Satisfactory metal extractions were only achieved by the use of diluted mineral acids, notably hydrochloric acid, which released more than 90% of the nickel and approximately 80% of the copper and lead from the soil. The results obtained with weak complexing agents such as tartaric acid (0.07–2.9%, 24 h) and amino acids (0.01–36%, 24h) were worse. For reprocessing of the hydrochloric acid solutions, a direct precipitation of the heavy metals in their hydroxide forms and selective separation with N-acylthiourea modified polysiloxanes were carried out.     

Eco-friendly approach for leaching out heavy metals from sewage sludge

Sewage sludge contains rich organic matter and nutrients essential for the growth of plants but the presence of toxic heavy metals restricts its land application. To overcome this, the study aims an eco-friendly approach for leaching out heavy metals. Sewage sludge from sewage treatment plant, Chennai, India was characterised. The analysis of total heavy metal concentration was done by digesting in nitric acid and different forms were extracted by community bureau of reference sequential method. Heavy metals: As, Cd, Cr, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry Perkin Elmer Optima 5300 DV. The experimental set-up for heavy metal leaching was held for five consecutive days at different concentrations of humic acid (0.1%, 0.5% and 1%) at varied pH (5–9). Results revealed that at the end of fifth day at pH 8, 1% humic acid is capable of leaching out 75.5% cadmium, 66.0% nickel, 52.0% lead, 51.2% zinc, 31.2% copper and 8.5% cadmium from sewage sludge. Statistically positive correlation (0.7088) existed between the percentage of heavy metals leached out and the sum of soluble and reducible fractions. Thus, from ecological point of view, humic acid can be used to leach out heavy metals from sewage sludge serving the need in restoration of soil fertility upon land application.