Copper metal elimination from polluted soil by electro-kinetic technique

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Soil Remediation
• Electrokinetic Engineering

Background:

• Electrokinetic (EK) remediation is a common technique for removing pollutants from soil.
• Copper contamination in soil poses significant environmental and health risks.
• Optimizing EK parameters is crucial for efficient pollutant removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the electrokinetic removal of copper from contaminated soil.
• To evaluate the impact of solution pH, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and date palm fibers (DPF) on copper removal efficiency.
• To assess the economic and environmental viability of DPF as an adsorbent.

Main Methods:

• Experiments were conducted varying solution pH (4, 7, 10).
• Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as an activator to enhance copper dissolution and absorption.
• Date palm fibers (DPF) were employed as an adsorbent material to mitigate reverse osmosis flow.

Main Results:

• Copper removal capacity increased with decreasing pH, achieving 70% at pH 4.
• The use of SDS improved copper removal to 74%.
• DPF effectively adsorbed returning copper pollutants, demonstrating its potential as an adsorbent.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing solution pH and utilizing SDS significantly enhance electrokinetic copper removal from soil.
• Date palm fibers (DPF) are an effective and sustainable material for counteracting reverse osmosis and adsorbing pollutants.
• The combined approach offers a promising, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for soil remediation.