Field demonstration of on-site immobilization of arsenic and lead in soil using a ternary amending agent

Soil contamination by heavy metals and metalloids has been a major environmental challenge. While various remediation technologies have been reported, field data on the remediation effectiveness have been limited. We tested a new remediation technology for on-site immobilization of As(III) and Pb(II) in a contaminated soil at an abandoned chemical plant site. A novel ternary amending agent consisting of Fe2O3, MnO2, and Mg(OH)2 (molar ratio = 1.0:5.5:5.5) was used to amend the soil on-site. Field monitoring data indicated that the amendment severed as a pH buffer and a long-term sequester for both As and Pb in the soil. At a dosage of 3 wt%, the acid-leachable As and Pb were lowered from 0.042–0.077 mg/L and 0.013–0.022 mg/L to 0.0062–0.0093 mg/L and 0.0030–0.0080 mg/L, respectively, after one day of the amendment, and to 0.0020–0.0050 mg/L and 0.0020–0.0054 mg/L after 240 days of aging. As(III) was oxidized to As(V) and subsequently immobilized via complexation and precipitation, whereas Pb(II) was sequestered via electrostatic attraction and chemical precipitation. The treatment cost was estimated at $31.5/m3. The results indicate that complex contaminants in soil can be effectively immobilized using combined amending agents that can interact with the target chemicals and induce synergistic immobilization reactions. [Display omitted] •A cost-effective soil amendment Fe-Mn-Mg(OH)2 was prepared for field applications.•The amendment effectively immobilized As and Pb at a former chemical plant site.•Immobilization of As and Pb was enhanced when aged for 240 d under field conditions.•As(III) was oxidized to As(V) and stabilized via complexation and precipitation.•Pb(II) was immobilized via electrostatic interaction and chemical precipitation.