Field application of electrokinetic remediation for multi-metal contaminated paddy soil using two-dimensional electrode configuration

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2014-03, Vol.21 (6), p.4482-4491
• Main Authors: Kim, Woo-Seung, Jeon, Eun-Ki, Jung, Ji-Min, Jung, Hong-Bae, Ko, Sung-Hwan, Seo, Chang-Il, Baek, Kitae
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Aquatic Pollution; Arsenic; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chemical Fractionation; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Efficiency; Electrodes; Electrokinetics; Electrolytes; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Restoration and Remediation - methods; Extraction processes; Feasibility studies; Fractionation; Groundwater; Groundwater flow; Heavy metals; Hierarchies; Investigations; KINETICS; Lead; Lead (metal); Metals; Metals - analysis; Metals - chemistry; Oryza; POLLUTION; Pollution abatement; Pollution studies; Remediation; Research Article; Soil (material); Soil - chemistry; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Soil pollution; Soil remediation; SOILS; Two dimensional; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2424-0

In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of in situ electrokinetic remediation for arsenic (As)-, copper (Cu)-, and lead (Pb)-contaminated soil, in a pilot-scale field application with two-dimensional electrode configurations. Square and hexagonal configurations with different electrode spacing, 1 m and 2  m , were investigated under a constant 100 V. A square configuration with electrode spacing of 2 m removed 61.5 % of As, 11.4 % of Cu, and 0.9 % of Pb, respectively, and a hexagonal configuration with the same spacing showed a higher removal efficiency in top (59 % of As, 0–0.5 m) and middle (53 % of As, 0.5–1.0 m) layers, but much lower removal efficiency in the bottom layer (1–1.5 m), which was thought to be due to groundwater flow through periodic rise and fall of tides. Fractionation analysis showed that As bound to Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide was the main form of As removed by the electrokinetic process. The two-dimensional configuration wasted less electrical energy by Joule heating, and required fewer electrode installations, compared to the one-dimensional electrode configuration.