Immobilizing lead using loess and nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI)-amended loess: Insights from macroscopic and microscopic tests

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) has a high adsorption capacity for heavy metals, but it forms aggregates easily. In this study, zeolite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (Z-NZVI) was synthesized from a simplified liquid-phase reduction of iron(III) salts which simultaneously adsorbed As(III), Cd(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solution and soil. Scanning electron micrographs showed that aggregation was eliminated and the NZVI evenly dispersed onto the surface of zeolite. FTIR spectra reveal that NZVI was protected from oxidization on the surface of Z-NZVI. XRD and XPS patterns confirmed the formation of Cd(OH)2, Pb0, and FeAsO4 in Z-NZVI after adsorption. The experimental maximum adsorption capacity of Z-NZVI was 11.52mg As(III)/g, 48.63mg Cd(II)/g, and 85.37mg Pb(II)/g at pH 6, respectively, much higher than that of zeolite. Batch experiments indicate that various adsorption mechanisms including electrostatic adsorption, ionic exchange, oxidation, reduction, co-precipitation, and complexation coexisted with the selected heavy metals. Due to the formation of multiphase compounds on the Z-NZVI, the synergy and competition among heavy metals were concurrent. Most arsenic, cadmium and lead in the soil samples were immobilized after mixing with 30g/kg Z-NZVI. These results suggest that Z-NZVI has great potential for treating water and soil multi-contaminated with heavy metals.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes waste from a number of household products such as paint, garden pesticides, pharmaceuticals, photographic chemicals, certain detergents, personal care products, fluorescent tubes, waste oil, heavy metal-containing batteries, wood treated with dangerous substances, waste electronic and electrical equipment and discarded CFC-containing equipment. Data on the amounts of HHW discarded are very limited and are hampered by insufficient definitions of what constitutes HHW. Consequently, the risks associated with the disposal of HHW to landfill have not been fully elucidated. This work has focused on the assessment of data concerning the presence of hazardous chemicals in leachates as evidence of the disposal of HHW in municipal landfills. Evidence is sought from a number of sources on the occurrence in landfill leachates of hazardous components (heavy metals and xenobiotic organic compounds [XOC]) from household products and the possible disposal-to-emissions pathways occurring within landfills. This review demonstrates that a broad range of xenobiotic compounds occurring in leachate can be linked to HHW but further work is required to assess whether such compounds pose a risk to the environment and human health as a result of leakage/seepage or through treatment and discharge.