Enhanced cadmium immobilization by sulfate-mediated microbial zero-valent iron corrosion

A biotic iron (Fe0) treatment system combined with mixed microorganisms was applied to remediate cadmium (Cd)-contaminated groundwater under the intervention of sulfate. Due to hydrogenotrophic desulfuration effect, severe iron corrosion was observed in this microbe-collaborative Fe0 system according to surface morphology analysis as lots of secondary minerals (e.g. magnetite, green rust and lepidocrocite) were generated, which was essential for Cd(II) adsorption and immobilization. The sulfate-mediated biotic Fe0 system thereafter achieved a significantly enhanced Cd(II) removal efficiency of 86.1%, over 3.3 times than that in the abiotic Fe0 system. Increasing initial sulfate concentration could improve the removal of cadmium, which further proved that hydrogenotrophic desulfuration played a key role for enhanced Cd removal. According to the experimental results and current reports, the mechanism of Cd(II) removal was revealed into three pathways including adsorption to secondary iron minerals, co-precipitation with iron (hydr)oxides and formation of cadmium sulfide precipitation. Increasing Fe0 dosages showed positive correlation to Cd(II) removal and neutral pH was preferred to sulfate-mediated biotic Fe0 corrosion. These results indicated that sulfate-mediated biotic Fe0 corrosion could greatly relieve the limitation of Fe0 in Cd(II) immobilization, which could be a promising method to eliminate Cd(II) pollution from groundwater. [Display omitted] •Hydrogenotrophic desulfuration enhanced cadmium removal by promoted iron corrosion.•Secondary iron minerals were generated for cadmium adsorption and coprecipitation.•Biomineralization on iron surface was crucial for enhanced cadmium immobilization.