Immobilization of Zn, Cu, and Pb in contaminated soils using phosphate rock and phosphoric acid

Considerable research has been done on P-induced Pb immobilization in Pb-contaminated soils. However, application of P to soils contaminated with multiple heavy metals is limited. The present study examined effectiveness of phosphoric acid (PA) and/or phosphate rock (PR) in immobilizing Pb, Cu, and Zn in two contaminated soils. The effectiveness was evaluated using water extraction, plant uptake, and a simple bioaccessibility extraction test (SBET) mimicking metal uptake in the acidic environment of human stomach. The possible mechanisms for metal immobilization were elucidated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and chemical speciation program Visual MINTEQ. Compared to the control, all P amendments significantly reduced Pb water solubility, phytoavailability, and bioaccessibility by 72–100%, 15–86%, and 28–92%, respectively. The Pb immobilization was probably attributed to the formation of insoluble Pb phosphate minerals. Phosphorus significantly reduced Cu and Zn water solubility by 31–80% and 40–69%, respectively, presumably due to their sorption on minerals (e.g., calcite and phosphate phases) following CaO addition. However, P had little effect on the Cu and Zn phytoavailability; while the acid extractability of Cu and Zn induced by SBET (pH 2) were even elevated by up to 48% and 40%, respectively, in the H 3PO 4 treatments (PA and PR + PA). Our results indicate that phosphate was effective in reducing Pb availability in terms of water solubility, bioaccessibility, and phytoavailability. Caution should be exercised when H 3PO 4 was amended to the soil co-contaminated with Cu and Zn since the acidic condition of SBET increased Cu and Zn bioaccessibility though their water solubility was reduced.