Metal contamination at a wood preservation site: characterisation and experimental studies on remediation

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2002-05, Vol.290 (1), p.165-180
• Main Authors: Bhattacharya, Prosun, Mukherjee, Arun B, Jacks, Gunnar, Nordqvist, Sune
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adsorption; Applied sciences; Arsenic; Biological Availability; CCA; Chemical remediation; chemistry; chromated copper arsenate; Chromium; Copper; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution - prevention & control; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industry; Metals, Heavy - analysis; oxalate; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Soil; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - analysis; soils; solubility; speciation; spectroscopic analysis; Wood; Wood preservation; Zinc
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/S0048-9697(01)01073-7

The aim of this investigation was to determine the occurrence of As, Cu, Cr and Zn in the soil at an abandoned wood preservation unit and to examine some possible extractants for the contaminants in the soil. The mean As content of the contaminated surface soils (0–10 cm) was 186 mg kg −1, where as the mean concentrations of Cu, Cr and Zn in soils from the contaminated area were 26, 29 and 91 mg kg −1, respectively. The elevated As content in the mineral soils is related to adsorption of inorganic As phases in the fine grained fractions, which are characterised by large surface area and high positive surface charge under the current acidic conditions. Cu and Cr were found to be rather mobile, which is reflected in their lower abundance in soils and significant accumulation in sediments in the drainage leaving the area. The fine fraction of the soil (