Abstract
In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using a solution of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid as an extraction method for soil-washing to remove Cu, Pb, Zn, and As from contaminated soil. We treated various soil particles, including seven fraction sizes, using sulfuric acid. In addition, to improve Cu, Pb, Zn, and As removal efficiencies, washing agents were compared through batch experiments. The results showed that each agent behaved differently when reacting with heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) and As. Sulfuric acid was more effective in extracting heavy metals than in extracting As. However, phosphoric acid was not effective in extracting heavy metals. Compared with each inorganic acid, As removal from soil by washing agents increased in the order of sulfuric acid (35.81%) < phosphoric acid (62.96%). Therefore, an enhanced mixture solution using sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid to simultaneously remove heavy metals and As from contaminated soils was investigated. Sulfuric acid at 0.6 M was adopted to combine with 0.6 M phosphoric acid to obtain the mixture solution (1:1) that was used to determine the effect for the simultaneous removal of both heavy metals and As from the contaminated soil. The removal efficiencies of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn were 70.5%, 79.6%, 80.1%, and 71.2%, respectively. The combination of sulfuric acid with phosphoric acid increased the overall As and heavy metal extraction efficiencies from the contaminated soil samples. With the combined effect of dissolving oxides and ion exchange under combined washings, the removal efficiencies of heavy metals and As were higher than those of single washings.
Highlights
The heavy metal contamination of soils is a worldwide problem
Soil contamination occurred at smelter sites, owing to the heavy metals contained in scattered ores, refined residue, and chimney dust
Similar trends for the concentration of heavy metals and As for the particle size fraction were trends concentration of heavy metals for the particle fraction foundSimilar compared withfor thethe original soil and
Summary
The heavy metal contamination of soils is a worldwide problem. Soil contaminated with heavy metals occurred at a smelter site in Korea as a result of smelting for industrialization, which eventually caused long-term effects regarding the pollution of metals in agricultural areas, posing a potential risk to human health [1]. Smelting activities have been responsible for the persistence of extensive soil contamination in modern times. Smelter processes introduce heavy metal contaminants into the environment in the form of gaseous emissions. Soil contamination occurred at smelter sites, owing to the heavy metals contained in scattered ores, refined residue, and chimney dust. The spatial distribution of contaminants in soils near metal smelters were revealed within approximately 2 km of a smelter in
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