Stabilization of Pb- and Cu-contaminated soil using coal fly ash and peat

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2007, Vol.145 (1), p.365-373
• Main Authors: Kumpiene, Jurate, Lagerkvist, Anders, Maurice, Christian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aliivibrio fischeri - drug effects; Avfallsteknik; bioaccumulation; bioavailability; Biological Availability; Carbon - pharmacology; chemical equilibrium; Coal; Coal Ash; coal fly ash; copper; Copper - chemistry; Copper - pharmacokinetics; field experimentation; Germination - physiology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial Waste; Leaching; lead; Lead - chemistry; Lead - pharmacokinetics; lysimeters; Organic matter; Particulate Matter - pharmacology; peat; Phytoaccumulation; phytotoxicity; Plant Shoots - chemistry; Plants - drug effects; Plants - metabolism; polluted soils; remediation; seed germination; Sequential extraction; shoots; Soil; soil amendments; soil bacteria; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; soil stabilization; soil toxicity; Toxicity; Waste Science and Technology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.01.037

The stabilization of metal contaminated soil is being tested as an alternative remediation method to landfilling. An evaluation of the changes in Cu and Pb mobility and bioavailability in soil induced by the addition of coal fly ash and natural organic matter (peat) revealed that the amount of leached Cu decreased by 98.2% and Pb by 99.9%, as assessed by a batch test. Metal leaching from the treated soil was lower by two orders of magnitude compared to the untreated soil in the field lysimeters. A possible formation of mineral Cu- and Pb-bearing phases and active surface with oxides were identified by chemical equilibrium calculations. Low metal leaching during a two-year observation period, increased seed germination rate, reduced metal accumulation in plant shoots, and decreased toxicity to plants and bacteria, thereby demonstrating this stabilization method to be a promising technique for in situ remediation of Cu and Pb contaminated soil. Copper and lead mobility and bioavailability in soil can be effectively reduced by using a combination of coal fly ash and peat as soil amendments.