Enhanced passivation of thallium, vanadium and arsenic in contaminated soils: critical role of Fe–Mn-biochar
Pengyuan Deng,
Wenhuan Yuan,
Jin Wang,
Liangzhong Li,
Yuchen Zhou,
Jingzi Beiyuan,
Haofan Xu,
Shunlong Jiang,
Zicong Tan,
Yurong Gao,
Diyun Chen,
Juan Liu
Affiliations
Pengyuan Deng
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Wenhuan Yuan
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Jin Wang
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Liangzhong Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuchen Zhou
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Jingzi Beiyuan
School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University
Haofan Xu
School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University
Shunlong Jiang
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Zicong Tan
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Yurong Gao
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Diyun Chen
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Juan Liu
Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University
Abstract Thallium (Tl), vanadium (V) and arsenic (As) are considered as typical toxic elements of increased interest. Their accumulation in soils can pose a substantial health threat to human beings. In this study, Fe–Mn modified biochar (FMBC) was chemically constructed to immobilize Tl, V and As in contaminated soils. The results showed that compared with pristine biochar (BC), FMBC can achieve significantly higher passivation effects for the studied contaminated soils, which reduced the bioavailable Tl, V and As contents by 83.9%, 71.09% and 71.92%, respectively. The passivation of Tl, As, and V via FMBC application was partially attributed to a notable increase in pH, which enhances the availability of adsorptive sites. Further, the newly formed minerals, including cancrinite, gibbsite and Fe–Mn (hydr)oxides, serve as additional adsorbents, substantially reducing the mobility of Tl, V and As. Additionally, the oxidation of Tl(I) to Tl(III) by the Fe–Mn (hydr)oxide of FMBC significantly enhanced Tl immobilization, consequently diminishing its bioavailability. The findings suggest that significant environmental threats could be alleviated through the potential application of FMBC in treating Tl-As-V dominated contamination in soils, providing a new perspective for the sustainable utilization of industrially polluted soils. Graphical Abstract
