Effect of chitosan on the available contents and vertical distribution of Cu2+ and Cd2+ in different textural soils

Chitosan, an environment-friendly biopolymer, has been adopted to remedy contaminated soils by heavy metals of Cu(2+) and Cd(2+). Experimental results demonstrated that, within the first 7d, available Cu(2+) and Cd(2+) contents in three textural soils (clay, loam, and sandy soil) decreased significantly after chitosan application. Moreover, the available Cu(2+) and Cd(2+) contents in soil layers of 14-16 cm and 24-26 cm were significantly reduced than that in 4-6 cm after 7d of chitosan application. Our investigation suggested that application of 0.9 g chitosan kg(-1) DW soil for 7d could be perfect for the remediation of the soil contaminated by Cu(2+) and Cd(2+).