Remediation of lead and cadmium co-contaminated mining soil by phosphate-functionalized biochar: Performance, mechanism, and microbial response

Abstract

The remediation of heavy metals contaminated soils is of great significance for reducing their risk to human health. Here, pristine pinewood sawdust biochar (BC) and phosphate-functionalized biochar (PBC) were conducted to investigate their immobilization performance towards lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in arable soils severely polluted by Pb (9240.5 mg kg^-1) and Cd (10.71 mg kg^-1) and microbial response in soils. Compared to pristine BC (2.6-12.1%), PBC was more effective in immobilizing Pb and Cd with an immobilization effectiveness of 45.2-96.2% after incubation of 60 days. Moreover, the labile Pb and Cd in soils were transformed to more stable species after addition of PBC, reducing their bioavailability. The immobilization mechanisms of Pb and Cd by PBC were mainly to facilitate the formation of stable phosphate precipitates e.g., Cd₃(PO₄)₂, Cd₅(PO₄)₃OH, Cd₅H₂(PO₄)₄‧4H₂O, and pyromorphite-type minerals. Further, PBC increased pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and available nutrients (phosphorus and potassium) in soils. High-throughput sequencing analysis of 16 S rRNA genes indicated that the diversity and composition of bacterial community responded to PBC addition due to PBC-induced changes in soil physicochemical properties, increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Brevundimonas, Bacillus, and norank_f__chitinophagaceae) in the treated soils. What's more, these beneficial bacteria could not only facilitate Pb and Cd immobilization but also alter nutrient biogeochemical transformation (nitrogen and iron) in co-contaminated soils. Overall, PBC could be a promising material for immobilization of Pb and Cd and the simultaneous enhancement of soil quality and available nutrients in co-contaminated mining soils.

Keywords: Biochar; Heavy metals; Microbial community; Phosphate; Soil remediation.