Full scale amendment of a contaminated wood impregnation site with iron water treatment residues

Abstract

Iron water treatment residues are a free by-product with high concentration of iron oxides

Iron water treatment residues has a large potential for arsenic sorption

Soils are highly contaminated by arsenic at wood preservation sites

Iron water treatment residues were added to hot spots contaminated with arsenic

The addition led to significant decrease in leaching of arsenic from the contaminated soil

Iron water treatment residues (Fe-WTR) are a free by-product of the treatment of drinking water with high concentration of iron oxides and potential for arsenic sorption. This paper aims at applying Fe-WTR to a contaminated site, measuring the reduction in contaminant leaching, and discussing the design of delivery and mixing strategy for soil stabilization at field scale and present a cost-effective method of soil mixing by common contractor machinery. Soil contaminated by As, Cr, and Cu at an abandoned wood impregnation site was amended with 0.22% (dw) Fe-WTR. To evaluate the full scale amendment a 100 m² test site and a control site (without amendment) were monitored for 14 months. Also soil analysis of Fe to evaluate the degree of soil and Fe-WTR mixing was done. Stabilization with Fe-WTR had a significant effect on leachable contaminants, reducing pore water As by 93%, Cu by 91% and Cr by 95% in the upper samplers. Dosage and mixing of Fe-WTR in the soil proved to be difficult in the deeper part of the field, and pore water concentrations of arsenic was generally higher. Despite water logged conditions no increase in dissolved iron or arsenic was observed in the amended soil. Our field scale amendment of contaminated soil was overall successful in decreasing leaching of As, Cr and Cu. With minor improvements in the mixing and delivery strategy, this stabilization method is suggested for use in cases, where leaching of Cu, Cr and As constitutes a risk for groundwater and freshwater.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Field experiment / Iron oxide / Arsenic / Stabilization / Wood preservation sites

References

[1] Buchireddy P R, Bricka R M, Gent D B. Electrokinetic remediation of wood preservative contaminated soil containing copper, chromium, and arsenic. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 162(1): 490–497

[2] Kertulis-Tartar G M, Ma L Q, Tu C, Chirenje T. Phytoremediation of an arsenic-contaminated site using Pteris vittata L.: a two-year study. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 2006, 8(4): 311–322

[3] Rivett M O, Petts J, Butler B, Martin I. Remediation of contaminated land and groundwater: experience in England and Wales. Journal of Environmental Management, 2002, 65(3): 251–268

[4] Kumpiene J, Lagerkvist A, Maurice C. Stabilization of As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil using amendments—a review. Waste Management, 2008, 28(1): 215–225

[5] Nagar R, Sarkar D, Makris K C, Datta R, Sylvia V L. Bioavailability and bioaccessibility of arsenic in a soil amended with drinking-water treatment residuals. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2009, 57(4): 755–766

[6] Lund U, Fobian A. Pollution of 2 soils by arsenic, chromium and copper, Denmark. Geoderma, 1991, 49(1–2): 83–103

[7] Bhattacharya P, Mukherjee A B, Jacks G, Nordqvist S. Metal contamination at a wood preservation site: characterisation and experimental studies on remediation. Science of the Total Environment, 2002, 290(1–3): 165–180

[8] Miretzky P, Cirelli A F. Remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils by iron amendments: A review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2010, 40(2): 93–115

[9] Komárek M, Vaněk A, Ettler V. Chemical stabilization of metals and arsenic in contaminated soils using oxides—a review. Environmental Pollution, 2013, 172: 9–22

[10] Doi M, Warren G, Hodson M E. A preliminary investigation into the use of ochre as a remedial amendment in arsenic-contaminated soils. Applied Geochemistry, 2005, 20(12): 2207–2216

[11] González V, García I, Del Moral F, Simón M. Effectiveness of amendments on the spread and phytotoxicity of contaminants in metal-arsenic polluted soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2012, 205-206: 72–80

[12] Sarkar D, Makris K C, Vandanapu V, Datta R. Arsenic immobilization in soils amended with drinking-water treatment residuals. Environmental Pollution, 2007, 146(2): 414–419

[13] Nielsen S S, Petersen L R, Kjeldsen P, Jakobsen R. Amendment of arsenic and chromium polluted soil from wood preservation by iron residues from water treatment. Chemosphere, 2011, 84(4): 383–389

[14] Chiang Y W, Santos R M, Ghyselbrecht K, Cappuyns V, Martens J A, Swennen R, Van Gerven T, Meesschaert B. Strategic selection of an optimal sorbent mixture for in-situ remediation of heavy metal contaminated sediments: framework and case study. Journal of Environmental Management, 2012, 105: 1–11

[15] Kumpiene J, Fitts J P, Mench M. Arsenic fractionation in mine spoils 10 years after aided phytostabilization. Environmental Pollution, 2012, 166: 82–88

[16] Nielsen S S, Kjeldsen P, Hansen H C B, Jakobsen R. Transformation of natural ferrihydrite aged in As, Cr and Cu contaminated soil studied by reduction kinetics. Applied Geochemistry, 2014, 51: 293–302

[17] Lidelöw S, Ragnvaldsson D, Leffler P, Tesfalidet S, Maurice C. Field trials to assess the use of iron-bearing industrial by-products for stabilisation of chromated copper arsenate-contaminated soil. Science of the Total Environment, 2007, 387(1–3): 68–78

[18] Fjordbøge A S, Riis C, Christensen A G, Kjeldsen P. ZVI-Clay remediation of a chlorinated solvent source zone, Skuldelev, Denmark: 1. Site description and contaminant source mass reduction. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 2012, 140-141: 56–66

[19] Moreno-Jiménez E, Beesley L, Lepp N W, Dickinson N M, Hartley W, Clemente R. Field sampling of soil pore water to evaluate trace element mobility and associated environmental risk. Environmental Pollution, 2011, 159(10): 3078–3085

[20] Samfundsteknik. Chemical waste facility 219–3 Stenholtsvang Survey of pollution, Phase 2, 1989(in Danish)

[21] Meng X, Wang W. Speciation of arsenic by disposable cartridges. In: Proceedings of Third International Conference on Arsenic Exposure and Health Effects, San Diego, CA, 1998

[22] Brunauer S, Emmett P H, Teller E. Adsorption of gases in multimolecular layers. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1938, 60(2): 309–319

[23] Danish E P A. List of criteria in relation to polluted soil and criteria for drinking water, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2010(in Danish)

[24] Maurice C, Lidelöw S, Gustavsson B, Lättström A, Ragnvaldsson D, Leffler P, Lövgren L, Tesfalidet S, Kumpiene J. Techniques for the stabilization and assessment of treated copper-, chromium-, and arsenic-contaminated soil. Ambio, 2007, 36(6): 430–436

[25] Fendorf S E. Surface-reactions of chromium in soils and waters. Geoderma, 1995, 67(1–2): 55–71

[26] Islam F S, Gault A G, Boothman C, Polya D A, Charnock J M, Chatterjee D, Lloyd J R. Role of metal-reducing bacteria in arsenic release from Bengal delta sediments. Nature, 2004, 430(6995): 68–71

[27] Pedersen H D, Postma D, Jakobsen R. Release of arsenic associated with the reduction and transformation of iron oxides. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2006, 70(16): 4116–4129

[28] Weber F A, Hofacker A F, Voegelin A, Kretzschmar R. Temperature dependence and coupling of iron and arsenic reduction and release during flooding of a contaminated soil. Environmental Science & Technology, 2010, 44(1): 116–122

[29] Larsen O, Postma D. Kinetics of reductive bulk dissolution of lepidocrocite, ferrihydrite, and goethite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2001, 65(9): 1367–1379

[30] Larsen O, Postma D, Jakobsen R. The reactivity of iron oxides towards reductive dissolution with ascorbic acid in a shallow sandy aquifer- (Romo, Denmark). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2006, 70(19): 4827–4835

[31] Turpeinen R, Kairesalo T, Haggblom M M. Microbial community structure and activity in arsenic-, chromium- and copper-contaminated soils. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2004, 47(1): 39–50

[32] Markwiese J T, Colberg P J S. Bacterial reduction of copper-contaminated ferric oxide: copper toxicity and the interaction between fermentative and iron-reducing bacteria. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2000, 38(2): 139–146

[33] Appelo C A J, Van Der Weiden M J J, Tournassat C, Charlet L. Surface complexation of ferrous iron and carbonate on ferrihydrite and the mobilization of arsenic. Environmental Science & Technology, 2002, 36(14): 3096–3103

[34] Rhoton F E, Bigham J M. Natural ferrihydrite as an agent for reducing turbidity caused by suspended clays. Journal of Environmental Quality, 2009, 38(5): 1887–1891

[35] Amofah L R, Maurice C, Bhattacharya P. Extraction of arsenic from soils contaminated with wood preservation chemicals. Soil & Sediment Contamination, 2010, 19(2): 142–159

Acknowledgements

This research is part of the research project Innovative Remediation and Assessment Technologies for Contaminated Soil and Groundwater (REMTEC). The authors would like to thank Sinh Hy Nguyen and Susanne Kruse for technical support and Lisbet Brusendorff for graphical assistance. As site owner Naturstyrelsen, represented by forest manager Hans Holbech, is acknowledged for admission at the Collstrop site.

Funding

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg