Effects of bentonite and zeolite minerals on mobility of lead in paddy soil in Chi Dao commune, Van Lam district, Hung Yen province, Vietnam

Abstract

Used lead-acid battery recycling activities in Minh Khai handicraft village, Chi Dao commune, Van Lam district, Hung Yen province, Vietnam has markedly increased the lead (Pb) content in paddy soil. Reducing the mobility of lead and lead accumulation in rice plants/plain rice are major priorities to reduce the impacts of lead in paddy soil. Application of the minerals zeolite (4A and Faujasite) and bentonite (natural and modified) to lead-contaminated soil has been carried out in lab scale for three years. The results showed the efficiencies in reducing accumulated lead in rice were 58 and 56% after adding the artificial additives zeolite 4A and zeolite Faujasite, respectively. These results were better than those of modified bentonite and natural bentonite, which were only 44 and 24%, respectively. The control efficiency of Pb accumulated in rice plants between the supplemented samples of zeolite Faujasite, zeolite 4A, modified bentonite, and natural bentonite were 69, 56, 42, and 40%, respectively, compared with the control samples. The addition of minerals to the soils has also resulted in decreases of the growth and yield of the experimental rice plants compared with the control samples. In this research, 0.1 to 0.2% of zeolite Faujasite showed the best results in terms of reducing Pb content in soil as well as low effect on plant growth. This research opens up on-site pollution control solutions for lead-contaminated agricultural soils.