Stabilization and Ecological Risk Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Farmland Soils by Addition of Attapulgite Modified with Phosphates

Abstract

Purpose. Attapulgite was modified by sodium dihydrogen phosphate, oxalic acid-activated phosphate rock powder, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, calcium superphosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, and fused calcium-magnesium phosphate and used in the remediation of Cd, Zn, and Ni. Materials and Methods. Attapulgite was modified by six kinds of phosphate (ratio: 1 : 2), and the improvement effect of passivation material on soil polluted by cadmium, zinc, and nickel was determined. CaCl2-extractable and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure- (TCLP-) extractable Cd, Zn, and Ni were measured in order to estimate the bioavailability and the stabilization efficiency. Pot experiment was conducted to study the enrichment and transport ability of Cd, Zn, and Ni in corn. The ecological risk and ecological toxicity of soil environment were evaluated by calculating SEm, ERIm, CRIm, and BUF. Results and Discussion. Compared with ATP, passivation materials AAPR, AMRP, ASSP, AMAP, and AFMP can improve the stability of CD, Zn, and Ni in soil, and AAPR has the best effect. Compared with CK treatments and ATP treatments, the concentrations of TCLP-extractable Cd decreased by 30.80% and 24.72%, respectively, the concentrations of TCLP-extractable Zn decreased by 15.50% and 11.18%, respectively, and the concentrations of TCLP-extractable Ni decreased by 31.34% and 23.20%, respectively. Compared with ATP treatments, CRI, BUF-Cd, BUF-Ni, and BUF-Zn decreased by 24.67%, 52.88%, 78.73%, and 41.18%, respectively, in the AAPR treatments. Conclusions. Phosphate-modified attapulgite can effectively improve the stability of heavy metals in soil and reduce the migration of heavy metals. In the soil polluted by Cd, Zn, and Ni, the passivation effect of AAPR is the best. Therefore, AAPR can be used as an economical, safe, and effective passivation material to improve Cd-, Zn-, and Ni-contaminated soil, which would have a high utilization value in field applications.