Thermal reduction-desorption of cadmium from contaminated soil by a biomass co-pyrolysis process

Thermal desorption is one of the methods commonly used for the remediation of contaminated soil. However, its suitability for the treatment of widespread Cd-contaminated soil was seldom investigated, because the desorption of Cd was found to be difficult, even at a high heating temperature. In the present study, a biomass co-pyrolysis (BCP) method is proposed for the thermal treatment of Cd-contaminated soil. The results showed that, when the mixture of biomass and contaminated soil was pyrolyzed at similar to 550 degrees C, the gaseous pyrolytic products (such as CO and hydrocarbon gases) from the biomass could chemically reduce the Cd(II) into volatile Cd-0, thereby allowing the evaporation of vaporized Cd-0 from the soil within a short operating time. The BCP method can achieve a highly efficient removal of Cd from the soil samples spiked with a large amount of Cd(II). The remediated soil, containing the remaining biochars, showed a good regreening potential and a significant decrease in Cd bioavailability. It also showed a good performance for the remediation of field soils from four contaminated sites (>92% removal efficiencies), and one of the treated soils could even meet the Cd screening level of agricultural land of China.

Automated summary

A biomass co-pyrolysis (BCP) method was proposed for the treatment of Cd-contaminated soil. Through chemical reduction and evaporation of volatile Cd-0, highly efficient removal of Cd from different soil samples was achieved. The remediated soil showed good regreening potential and significant decrease in Cd bioavailability, with >92% removal efficiencies in field soils from four contaminated sites.