Electrodialytic Remediation of Soils Polluted with Cu, Cr, Hg, Pb and Zn

Electrodialytic remediation of heavy metal polluted soil is a method which combines the technique of electrodialysis with the electromigration of ions in the polluted soil. Results from laboratory-scale remediation experiments of soil samples from three real contaminated sites with different heavy metals are presented.

In the three cases it was possible to mobilize and reduce the amount of the pollutants in the soil. The pollutants were (1) copper and chromium, (2) mercury and (3) copper, lead and zinc. For a loamy sand polluted with copper and chromium it was possible to decontaminate the soil to an extent lower than the recommended critical values for metal concentration in soil.

Parameters that were identified as important for the efficiency of the electrodialytic remediation method were pH in the soil, lime content and speciation of the heavy metal. ©1997 SCI