Electrokinetic remediation of contaminated soils

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5319360

Lindgren, E R; Kozak, M W ^[1]; Mattson, E D ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. SAT-UNSAT, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Electrokinetic remediation of contaminated soil has been demonstrated for saturated and unsaturated sand in preliminary experiments using a novel transport visualization technique. Large anionic organic dyes were mixed with a portion of soil and the rate of electromigration of the dye in an imposed electric field was monitored photographically. One of the fastest current-normalized electromigration rates was measured in the driest sand, which contained 7% water by weight. This moisture content is typical of the moisture content in the unsaturated zone of subsurface native soils found in New Mexico. The characteristics of the electromigration were similar in both the saturated and unsaturated sand. The leading edge of the dye migration front was diffuse while the trailing edge was sharp and concentrated. This and other observed behavior may indicate a concentration effect, where the electromigration rate of dilute dye is greater than that of concentrated dye. The soil left after the trailing edge passed seemed to contain no residual dye in both the saturated and unsaturated cases. The success of demonstrating electromigration of large molecules in unsaturated soil is encouraging and indicates that it may be feasible to remediate in situ anionic heavy metals such as chromate from unsaturated soil with electrokinetic techniques. 23 refs., 7 figs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5319360
• Report Number(s): SAND-91-0726C; CONF-910981--8; ON: DE91018683
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400 -- Electrochemistry
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ANIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DYES
ELECTRODES
ELECTROPHORESIS
ELEMENTS
IONS
LAND POLLUTION
METALS
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION
REMOVAL
SAND
SOILS