Preferential adsorption and surface precipitation of lead(II) ions onto metal oxide in soils: Mechanism elucidation and application to novel remediation technologies

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05337
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Modeling and technologies for environmental conservation and remediation
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Tasuma 山口大学, 大学院創成科学研究科, 准教授 (00577489)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 土壌汚染 / 重金属 / 金属酸化物 / アナターゼ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Soil contamination by lead (Pb) is a prevalent environmental issue worldwide. During TEM-EDS analysis of Dixie clay artificially contaminated with Pb(II), we observed that Pb(II) was preferentially adsorbed and precipitated on the surface of TiO2. The objective of this study was to deepen the understanding of the mechanism and importance of this phenomenon, with the final objective of developing a novel remediation technologies using magnetic separation.
Our experimental results indicated that the precipitate preferentially formed on the surface of anatase was Pb(II) hydroxide or Pb(II) oxide. Additionally, sequential extraction analysis using the procedures we developed in this study showed that at least 32% and 42% of Pb(II) was sorbed onto anatase in the Dixie clay contaminated with a Pb content of 736 mg Pb/kg and 1,958 mg Pb/kg, respectively. Our experimental results also indicated that anatase in the kaolinte was coated by iron oxide resulting in increased magnetism.

Free Research Field

環境工学