Stabilization of hexavalent chromium with pretreatment and high temperature sintering in highly contaminated soil

Highlights

• Separate reduction and sintering cannot be effective for Cr stabilization.

• Combined treatment of reduction and sintering is effective for Cr stabilization.

• Almost all the Cr in the reduced soil is residual form after sintering at 1000°C.

Abstract

This study explored the effectiveness and mechanisms of high temperature sintering following pre-reduction with ferric sulfate (FeSO₄), sodium sulfide (Na₂S), or citric acid (C₆H₈O₇) in stabilizing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in highly contaminated soil. The soil samples had an initial total Cr leaching of 1768.83 mg/L, and Cr(VI) leaching of 1745.13 mg/L. When FeSO₄ or C₆H₈O₇ reduction was followed by sintering at 1000°C, the Cr leaching was reduced enough to meet the Safety Landfill Standards regarding general industrial solid waste. This combined treatment greatly improved the stabilization efficiency of chromium because the reduction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III) decreased the mobility of chromium and made it more easily encapsulated in minerals during sintering. SEM, XRD, TG-DSC, and speciation analysis indicated that when the sintering temperature reached 1000°C, almost all the chromium in soils that had the pre-reduction treatment was transformed into the residual form. At 1000°C, the soil melted and promoted the mineralization of Cr and the formation of new Cr-containing compounds, which significantly decreased subsequent leaching of chromium from the soil. However, without reduction treatment, chromium continued to leach from the soil even after being sintered at 1000°C, possibly because the soil did not fully fuse and because Cr(VI) does not bind with soil as easily as Cr(III).

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Chromium / Heavy contaminated soil / Reduction / Sintering / Stabilization / Speciation

References

[1] Bakhshi N, Sarrafi A, Ramezanianpour A A (2019). Immobilization of hexavalent chromium in cement mortar: leaching properties and microstructures. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 26(20): 20829–20838

[2] Cao X, Guo J, Mao J, Lan Y (2011). Adsorption and mobility of Cr(III)-organic acid complexes in soils. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 192(3): 1533–1538

[3] Chrysochoou M, Ferreira D R, Johnston C P (2010). Calcium polysulfide treatment of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 179(1): 650–657

[4] Coetzee J J, Bansal N, Chirwa E M N (2020). Chromium in Environment, Its Toxic Effect from Chromite-Mining and Ferrochrome Industries, and Its Possible Bioremediation. Exposure and Health, 12(1): 51–62

[5] Covelo E F, Vega F A, Andrade M L J (2007). Competitive sorption and desorption of heavy metals by individual soil components. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 140(1–2): 308–315

[6] Elzinga E J, Cirmo A (2010). Application of sequential extractions and X-ray absorption spectroscopy to determine the speciation of chromium in Northern New Jersey marsh soils developed in chromite ore processing residue (COPR). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 183(1–3): 145–154

[7] Ertani A, Mietto A, Borin M, Nardi S (2017). Chromium in Agricultural Soils and Crops: A Review. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 228(5): 190

[8] Eyvazi B, Jamshidi-Zanjani A, Darban A K (2019). Immobilization of hexavalent chromium in contaminated soil using nano-magnetic MnFe₂O₄. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 365: 813–819

[9] Grasso D (1993). Hazardous Waste Site Remediation. Boca Raton: CRC Press

[10] Hsu L C, Liu Y T, Tzou Y M (2015). Comparison of the spectroscopic speciation and chemical fractionation of chromium in contaminated paddy soils. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 296: 230–238

[11] Hu H, Luo G, Liu H, Yu Q, Xu M, Hong Y J (2013). Fate of chromium during thermal treatment of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash. Proceedings of the Combustion Insititute, 34(2): 2795–2801

[12] Jiang Y, Xi B, Li R, Li M, Xu Z, Yang Y, Gao S (2019). Advances in Fe(III) bioreduction and its application prospect for groundwater remediation: A review. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 13(6): 89

[13] Jurate K, Anders L, Christian M J(2008). Stabilization of As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil using amendments: A review. Waste Management, 28(1): 215–225

[14] Kanchinadham S B K, Narasimman L M, Pedaballe V, Kalyanaraman C J J(2015). Diffusion and leachability index studies on stabilization of chromium contaminated soil using fly ash. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 297: 52–58

[15] Kartal S, Aydin Z, Tokalioğlu S J J(2006). Fractionation of metals in street sediment samples by using the BCR sequential extraction procedure and multivariate statistical elucidation of the data. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 132(1): 80–89

[16] Khan A A, Muthukrishnan M, Guha B K J (2010). Sorption and transport modeling of hexavalent chromium on soil media. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 174(1–3): 444–454

[17] KožUh N, Štupar J, Gorenc B (2000). Reduction and oxidation processes of chromium in soils. Environmental Science Technology, 34(1): 112–119

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

[19] Lan Y, Li C, Mao J, Sun J (2008). Influence of clay minerals on the reduction of Cr⁶⁺ by citric acid. Chemosphere, 71(4): 781–787

[20] Liu Y, Zheng L, Li X, Xie S(2009). SEM/EDS and XRD characterization of raw and washed MSWI fly ash sintered at different temperatures. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 62(1): 161–173

[21] Meegoda J N, Kamolpornwijit W J (2011). Chromium steel from chromite ore processing residue: A valuable construction material from a waste. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 5(2): 159–166

[22] Moon D H, Wazne M, Koutsospyros A, Christodoulatos C, Gevgilili H, Malik M, Kalyon D M (2009). Evaluation of the treatment of chromite ore processing residue by ferrous sulfate and asphalt. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 166(1): 27–32

[23] Pan C, Giammar D (2020). Interplay of transport processes and interfacial chemistry affecting chromium reduction and reoxidation with iron and manganese. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 14(5): 81

[24] Qian H, Yanjun W U, Liu Y, Xinhua X U J F O E S (2008). Kinetics of hexavalent chromium reduction by iron metal. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering in China, 2(1): 51–56

[25] Rai D, Eary L E, Zachara J M J (1989). Environmental chemistry of chromium. Science of the Total Environment, 86(1–2): 15–23

[26] Rinehart T L, Schulze D G, Bricka R M, Bajt S, Iii E R B J (1997). Chromium leaching vs. oxidation state for a contaminated solidified/stabilized soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 52(2/3): 213–221

[27] Shen Z, Li Z, Alessi D S (2018). Stabilization-based soil remediation should consider long-term challenges. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 12(2): 16

[28] Sørensen M A, Mogensen E P B, Lundtorp K, Jensen D L, Christensen T H J (2001). High temperature co-treatment of bottom ash and stabilized fly ashes from waste incineration. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 21(6): 555–562

[29] Taghipour M, Jalali M J C (2016). Influence of organic acids on kinetic release of chromium in soil contaminated with leather factory waste in the presence of some adsorbents. Chemosphere, 155: 395–404

[30] Wang K S, Sun C J, Liu C Y (2001). Effects of the type of sintering atmosphere on the chromium leachability of thermal-treated municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash. Waste Management, 21(1): 85–91

[31] Wei X, Guo S, Wu B, Li F, Li G (2016). Effects of reducing agent and approaching anodes on chromium removal in electrokinetic soil remediation. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 10(2): 253–261

[32] Wei Y (2012). Characteristics of Chromium Contaminated Soil and Ceramsite Sintering. Chongqing: Chongqing University

[33] Zhang C, Peng P, Song J, Liu C, Peng Y, Lu P J (2012). The BCR method was improved to analyze the chemical morphology of heavy metals in national soil standard materials. Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 000(011): 1881–1884

[34] Zhao Z, An H, Lin J, Feng M, Murugadoss V, Ding T, Liu H, Shao Q, Mai X, Wang N, Gu H, Angaiah S, Guo Z (2019). Progress on the photocatalytic reduction removal of chromium contamination. Chemical Record (New York, N.Y.), 19(5): 873–882

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFD0800604). We would also like to thank the team members of our laboratory for their valuable discussions.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2020 Higher Education Press