Study of the Removal Efficiency of Chromium Ions using a Membrane by Electro Kinetic Technique from Sludge

This paper describes a bench-scale study dealing with the removal of heavy metals by electrokinetic (EK) remediation from sediment of the Great Backa Canal (Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia), with an emphasis on the dependence of removal efficacies on the physicochemical states of the heavy metals and sediment chemistry. Sediment samples were spiked with the following heavy metals (mg kg− 1): Zn 4400, Ni 900, Cu 1140 and Cd 57. In addition to determining the pseudo-total metal content in the contaminated sediment before and after EK treatment, BCR sequential extraction was also performed to examine the distribution of the contaminants in the sediment. Conventional EK remediation (EXP I) was ineffective in removing the heavy metals investigated, so two enhanced processes were developed. In both these processes, the mass of treated sediment was reduced to avoid the presence of inactive electric field areas in the sediment and increase current density. The first enhanced experiment (EXP II) used acetic acid (HAc) solution (pH 2.9) as an anolyte. Combined with the smaller sediment mass, this resulted in an increase in overall removal efficacies (9% for Zn, 15% for Ni, 10% for Cu and 15% for Cd). The second enhanced experiment (EXP III), as well as using HAc solution as an anolyte, made use of a cation exchange membrane in the cathodic chamber to minimize pH changes in the region adjacent to the cathode, which negatively influenced the removal of some heavy metals. However, no improvement in removal efficacy was achieved in EXP III. Since the redox potential of the sediment drops during the EK process, metals removal is limited by the formation of their sulfides. In conclusion, the removal of heavy metals by EK remediation is governed by a complex interplay of the complexation, precipitation and reduction processes, and the difficulties encountered in their optimization can explain the unsatisfactory effectiveness achieved by the described remediation procedure. Improved understanding of the behavior of metal ions during EK treatment can be useful in predicting and enhancing the efficacy of the process.

Remediation of heavy metals contaminated soil by enhanced electrokinetic technology: A review

This paper presents the experimental findings of electrokinetic (EK) studies conducted to remove cadmium (Cd++) and copper (Cu++) present together as contaminants in clayey soil. Competitive sorption between cadmium and copper has been studied, which provides an insight into selection of Cd++ and Cu++ concentrations for maximum contamination of soil in the EK study. To explore the effect of pH on the desorption of both Cd++ and Cu++ and to compare the efficacy of different agents in enhancing the removal of these ions during the EK remediation process, the desorption studies have also been conducted using ammonium citrate (1 M), sodium citrate (1 M) and non-ionic surfactant Tween-20 (0.2 % v/v) at pH 2, pH 7, and pH 12. It was found that maximal sorption capacity of the soil for Cd++ and Cu++ was 8.34 and 12.1 mg g−1, respectively. The desorption of both Cd++ and Cu++ influenced by pH for all desorbing agents is considered in the study. Overall desorption values for both Cd++ and Cu++ have been observed to be higher when ammonium citrate (1 M) was used as desorbing agent in the study. The results indicate the possibility of competition of complexation of Cd++ and Cu++ leading to desorption mechanism in the presence of desorbing agents. The EK tests on the Cd++ and Cu++ contaminated soil are carried out at a voltage of 35 V (1.0 V/cm) DC for 5 days. Sequential extraction experiments were conducted to determine fractionation of Cd++ and Cu++ in the EK-treated soil using deionized water at pH values of 2, 7 and 12. It is observed that current, electroosmotic flow and mobilization of Cd++ and Cu++ depend on pH, zeta potential (ς) and specific conductance. Removal of these heavy metals was observed to be higher when ammonium citrate was used both for saturation as well as flushing solution during EK process.

Effect of clay content on the mobilization efficiency of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from soils by electrokinetics and hydraulic flushing

Enhanced copper removal from contaminated kaolinite soil by electrokinetic process using compost reactive filter media

The rising concern over drug-resistant microorganisms has increased the need for rapid and portable detection systems. However, the traditional methods for the analysis of microorganisms can be both resource and time intensive. This contribution presents an alternative approach for the characterization of microorganisms using a microscale electrokinetic technique. The present study aims to develop and validate a library with a novel parameter referred to as the electrokinetic equilibrium condition for each strain, which will allow for fast identification of the studied bacterial and yeast cells in electrokinetic (EK) microfluidic devices. To create the library, experiments with six organisms of interest were conducted using insulator-based EK devices with circle-shaped posts. The organisms included one yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae; one salmonella strain, Salmonella enterica; two species from the same genus, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis; and two Escherichia coli strains. The results from these experiments were then analyzed with a mathematical model in COMSOL Multiphysics®, which yielded the electrokinetic equilibrium condition for each distinct strain. Lastly, to validate the applicability EK library, the COMSOL model was used to estimate the trapping conditions needed in a device with oval-shaped posts for each organism, and these values were then compared with experimentally obtained values. The results suggest the library can be used to estimate trapping voltages with a maximum relative error of 12%. While the proposed electrokinetic technique is still a novel approach and the analysis of additional microorganisms would be needed to expand the library, this contribution further supports the potential of microscale electrokinetics as a technique for the rapid and robust characterization of microbes. Graphical abstract.

Electrokinetic techniques, their enhancement techniques and composite techniques with other processes for persistent organic pollutants remediation in soil: A review

Simultaneous removal of organic contaminants and heavy metals from kaolin using an upward electrokinetic soil remediation process

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) used with electrokinetic (EK) to remediate heavy metal-polluted soils is a toxic chelate for soil microorganisms. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of alternative organic chelates to EDTA on improving the microbial properties of a heavy metal-polluted soil subjected to EK. Cow manure extract (CME), poultry manure extract (PME) and EDTA were applied to a lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)-polluted calcareous soil which were subjected to two electric intensities (1.1 and 3.3v/cm). Soil carbon pools, microbial activity, microbial abundance (e.g., fungal, actinomycetes and bacterial abundances) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Pb and Zn (available forms) were assessed in both cathodic and anodic soils. Applying the EK to soil decreased all the microbial variables in the cathodic and anodic soils in the absence or presence of chelates. Both CME and PME applied with two electric intensities decreased the negative effect of EK on soil microbial variables. The lowest values of soil microbial variables were observed when EK was combined with EDTA. The following order was observed in values of soil microbial variables after treating with EK and chelates: EK+CME or EK+PME>EK>EK+EDTA. The CME and PME could increase the concentrations of available Pb and Zn, although the increase was less than that of EDTA. Overall, despite increasing soil available Pb and Zn, the combination of EK with manures (CME or PME) mitigated the negative effects of using EK on soil microbial properties. This study suggested that the synthetic chelates such as EDTA could be replaced with manures to alleviate the environmental risks of EK application.

Ultrasonically enhanced electrokinetic remediation for removal of Pb and phenanthrene in contaminated soils

The development or implementation of electrokinetic soil remediation technique requires a good knowledge of how the contaminants are retained within the soil-water system. This paper investigates the speciation and extent of migration of the heavy metals, Cr(VI), Cr(III), Ni(II), and Cd(II), during electrokinetic soil remediation. A geochemical assessment of how the contaminants are held within the kaolin soil under induced electric potential is made by using the equilibrium model MINEQL+. The study is performed for three different contaminant cases: the Cr(VI) existing alone in the soil, the Cr(VI) combined with Ni(II) and Cd(II) in the soil, and the Cr(VI) combined with Ni(II) and Cd(II) in the soil in the presence of a reducing agent (sulfide). The adsorption of the studied metals by kaolin was implemented as an electrostatic behavior. FITEQL 4.0 model was used to determine the equilibrium constants of the electrostatic adsorption model of kaolin for the studied metals by optimizing the experimental titration and adsorption data of kaolin. This study showed that the initial speciation of the contaminants in the soil prior to the electrokinetic treatment depends on the type and amounts of contaminants present as well as on the presence of the co-contaminants or any reducing agent. Moreover, the extent of migration of the contaminants is strongly dependent on their initial speciation prior electrokinetic treatment. This study also showed that adsorption and precipitation are the significant hindering mechanisms for the removal of heavy metals from kaolin soil during electrokinetic treatment. The adsorption and precipitation forms of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Cd(II) increased near the cathode and decreased near the anode, whereas the adsorption form of Cr(VI) increased near the anode as well as in the middle region. However, the precipitation form of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Cd(II) as Cr2O3 or Cr(OH)3, Ni(OH)2, and Cd(OH)2, respectively, dominates over their adsorption form as they get closer to the cathode. Overall this study demonstrates that the electrolysis reactions control contaminant speciation and distribution in the soil during electrokinetic remediation because of the generated variations in pH and redox potential in the soil as a result of these reactions.

Injection of nanoscale Fe 3O 4 slurry coupled with the electrokinetic process for remediation of NO 3− in saturated soil: Remediation performance and reaction behavior

Remediation of oil-based drilling waste using the electrokinetic-Fenton method

\nThis study focuses on the use of a remediation process to remove particle-bound recalcitrant pollutants (heavy metals) from dredged harbor sediments which must be previously treated before reuse in civil engineering. Electrokinetic (EK) remediation is generally accepted as one of the most suitable technologies for extracting cationic heavy metals from fine grained sediments. Many batch tests were performed to better understand the capacity of various additives to improve sediment decontamination (when applying a constant voltage gradient of 1 V.cm-1), and the combination of enhancing agents (acids + surfactants) were assessed to obtain an efficient removal of heavy metals. We succeeded in proving that mixing citric acid and a nonionic surfactant (Tween 20), additives which are environmentally friendly, was a good association to enhance heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) removal.\n

Size-controlled preparation of Cu2O nanoparticles from waste printed circuit boards by supercritical water combined with electrokinetic process