Assessment of zerovalent iron for stabilization of chromium, copper, and arsenic in soil

Environ Pollut. 2006 Nov;144(1):62-9. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.01.010. Epub 2006 Mar 6.

Abstract

Stabilization of soil contaminated with trace elements is a remediation practice that does not reduce the total content of contaminants, but lowers the amounts of mobile and bioavailable fractions. This study evaluated the efficiency of Fe(0) to reduce the mobility and bioavailability of Cr, Cu, As and Zn in a chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-contaminated soil using chemical, biochemical and biotoxicity tests. Contaminated soil was stabilized with 1% iron grit. This treatment decreased As and Cr concentrations in leachates (by 98% and 45%, respectively), in soil pore water (by 99% and 94%, respectively) and in plant shoots (by 84% and 95%, respectively). The stabilization technique also restored most of analyzed soil enzyme activities and reduced microbial toxicity, as evaluated by the BioTox test. After stabilization, exchangeable and bioaccessible fractions of Cu remained high, causing some residual toxicity in the treated soil.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Aliivibrio fischeri
  • Arsenates* / analysis
  • Arsenic / analysis
  • Chemical Fractionation
  • Chromium / analysis
  • Copper / analysis
  • Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
  • Enzymes / analysis
  • Industrial Waste*
  • Iron*
  • Metals, Heavy* / analysis
  • Plant Shoots / chemistry
  • Plants, Edible / metabolism
  • Poaceae
  • Soil / analysis
  • Soil Microbiology
  • Soil Pollutants* / analysis
  • Toxicity Tests / methods
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

  • Arsenates
  • Enzymes
  • Industrial Waste
  • Metals, Heavy
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Chromium
  • chromated copper arsenate
  • Copper
  • Iron
  • Arsenic