Washing of Pb contaminated soil using [S,S] ethylenediamine disuccinate and horizontal permeable barriers

The feasibility of in situ washing of soil contaminated with Pb (6.83 mmol kg(-1)) using biodegradable chelator, [S,S] stereoisomere of ethylenediamine disuccinate ([S,S]-EDDS) and horizontal permeable barriers was examined in soil columns. After 4-cycles of 10 mmol kg(-1) soil [S,S]-EDDS applications, followed by irrigation, 24.7% of total initial Pb was washed from the contaminated soil and accumulated into the barrier. Sequential extractions indicated that washing removed most of the Pb from the organic soil fraction. Barriers were positioned 20 cm deep in the soil and consisted of a 2 cm layer of nutrient enriched vermiculite. Barriers reduced leaching of Pb in the first cycle of [S,S]-EDDS addition by more than 500-times compared to columns with no barrier. After four cycles of chelator addition, a total of 0.24% of the initial Pb was leached from the columns with barriers. Four cycles of in situ soil washing in soil columns were less effective than simulated ex situ soil washing with 40 mmol kg(-1) [S,S]-EDDS, where 51.0% of the Pb was removed after 48-h extraction. Ex situ soil washing with 10 mmol kg(-1) [S,S]-EDDS was equally effective as the first cycle of in situ soil washing (15.5% and 14.5% of removed Pb, respectively).     

The effect of earthworms on the fractionation, mobility and bioavailability of Pb, Zn and Cd before and after soil leaching with EDTA

The effect of two ecologically contrasting earthworm species Eisenia fetida (epigeic) and Octolasion tyrtaeum (endogeic) on the fractionation (accessed using sequential extractions), mobility (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, TCLP) and oral bioavailability (Ruby's physiologically based extraction test, PBET) of Pb, Zn and Cd was studied before and after soil remediation with soil leaching. Twenty-step leaching, with 2.5 mmol kg(-1) EDTA used in each step, removed 58.4%, 25.0% and 68.0% of initial soil Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively, shifted the fractionation of residual heavy metals toward less labile forms, and decreased their mobility by 83.7%, 80.3%, and 90.9%. Pb oral bioavailability was reduced by 3.1-times (in each stomach and intestinal phase). After soil leaching, both earthworm species enriched the carbonate soil fraction in their casts with residual Pb, and increased the Pb bioavailability in the simulated intestinal phase by a factor of 2.4 (E. fetida) and 2.8 (O. tyrtaeum). The concentration of Pb in TCLP leachate from E. fetida casts was 6.2-times higher than in the bulk of the remediated soil. These results indicate that the effect of biotic factors on the availability of heavy metals residual in soil after soil leaching requires consideration.     

Fractionation and bioavailability of Cu in soil remediated by EDTA leaching and processed by earthworms (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lumbricus terrestris</Emphasis> L.)

Background, aim, and scope  

Soil remediation with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) leaching is capable of removing only part of the total metal concentration in the soil, mostly the labile, bioavailable metal species (metal bioavailability stripping). However, reintroduction of remediated soil in the environment exposes the soil to various environmental factors, which could potentially shift nonlabile residual metals back to labile bioavailable forms. We studied the effect of autochthonous earthworm species as model biotic environmental factor on the fractionation and bioavailability of Cu residual in soil after remediation.     

Multi-step leaching of Pb and Zn contaminated soils with EDTA

The efficiency of multi-step leaching of heavy metal contaminated soils was evaluated in a laboratory scale study. Four different soils contaminated with Pb (1136+/-16-4424+/-313mgkg(-1)) and Zn (288+/-5-5489+/-471mgkg(-1)) were obtained from industrial sites in the Mezica Valley, Slovenia and Príbram district, Czech Republic. Different dosages (2.5-40mmolkg(-1)) of ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA) were used to treat soils in 1-10 leaching steps. Higher EDTA dosages did not result in a proportional gain in Pb and Zn removal. EDTA extracted Pb more efficiently than Zn from three of four tested soils. The percentage of removed Zn did not exceed 75% regardless of the soil, EDTA dosage and leaching steps. Significantly more Pb (in three of four soils) and Zn were removed from soils when the same amount of EDTA was applied in several leaching steps. The interference of major soil cations Fe and Ca with EDTA complexation as a possible factor affecting Pb and Zn removal efficiency with multi-step heap leaching was examined and is discussed. The results of our study indicate that, for some soils, using multi-step leaching instead of the more traditionally used single dose EDTA treatment could improve heavy metal removal efficiency and thus the economics of soil remediation.     

The use of chelating agents in the remediation of metal-contaminated soils: a review

This paper reviews current remediation technologies that use chelating agents for the mobilization and removal of potentially toxic metals from contaminated soils. These processes can be done in situ as enhanced phytoextraction, chelant enhanced electrokinetic extraction and soil flushing, or ex situ as the extraction of soil slurry and soil heap/column leaching. Current proposals on how to treat and recycle waste washing solutions after soil is washed are discussed. The major controlling factors in phytoextraction and possible strategies for reducing the leaching of metals associated with the application of chelants are also reviewed. Finally, the possible impact of abiotic and biotic soil factors on the toxicity of metals left after the washing of soil and enhanced phytoextraction are briefly addressed.