Interfacial solar evaporation driven Cd removal from contaminated sediments

Abstract

Solar-driven evaporative remediation (SDER) is an emerging low carbon technology suitable for both seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. Herein, we extend the application of the technique to sediment remediation for the first time by fabricating a functional evaporator (AC@HA-C) comprising cotton loaded with activated carbon and hydroxyapatite. This evaporator accelerated the extraction of Cadmium (Cd) from contaminated sediments. After 14 days of SDER, the overall Cd removal efficiency in sediments ranged between 49.2% and 65.7%. Moreover, cultivation of crops in SDER treated sediments showed an average reduction in Cd accumulation in cabbage by 74.1%. Comparing the AC@HA-C evaporator to other similar materials, life cycle assessment (LCA) showed a 94.0% reduction in environmental impacts and an 86.0% reduction in CO2 emissions. These results position AC@HA-C as a low-carbon and sustainable evaporator, offering a more environmentally friendly choice for sediment remediation.