Modified natural diatomite and its enhanced immobilization of lead, copper and cadmium in simulated contaminated soils.
Natural diatomite was modified through facile acid treatment and ultrasonication, which increased its electronegativity, and the pore volume and surface area achieved to 0.211 cm(3) g(-1) and 76.9 m(2) g(-1), respectively. Modified diatomite was investigated to immobilize the potential toxic elements (PTEs) of Pb, Cu and Cd in simulated contaminated soil comparing to natural diatomite. When incubated with contaminated soils at rates of 2.5% and 5.0% by weight for 90 days, modified diatomite was more effective in immobilizing Pb, Cu and Cd than natural diatomite. After treated with 5.0% modified diatomite for 90 days, the contaminated soils showed 69.7%, 49.7% and 23.7% reductions in Pb, Cu and Cd concentrations after 0.01 M CaCl2 extraction, respectively. The concentrations of Pb, Cu and Cd were reduced by 66.7%, 47.2% and 33.1% in the leaching procedure, respectively. The surface complexation played an important role in the immobilization of PTEs in soils. The decreased extractable metal content of soil was accompanied by improved microbial activity which significantly increased (P<0.05) in 5.0% modified diatomite-amended soils. These results suggested that modified diatomite with micro/nanostructured characteristics increased the immobilization of PTEs in contaminated soil and had great potential as green and low-cost amendments.
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China. Electronic address: xxye@issp.ac.cn.
Xinxin
X
Ye
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China.
Shenghong
S
Kang
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China.
Huimin
H
Wang
Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
Hongying
H
Li
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China.
Yunxia
Y
Zhang
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China. Electronic address: gzhwang@issp.ac.cn.
Guozhong
G
Wang
Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Queensland 4222, Australia.
Huijun
H
Zhao
D002104:Cadmium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007692:Diatomaceous Earth / Q000737:chemistry*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007854:Lead / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012987:Soil; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D007692:Diatomaceous Earth; C033787:diatomite; D003300:Copper; D002122:Calcium Chloride
Modified diatomite; Natural diatomite; PTEs; Soil remediation