Optimal operational conditions for the electrochemical regeneration of a soil washing EDTA solution

The present research deals with the optimization of the operating parameters (cathode replacement time, hydraulic retention time, current intensity and pH) of an electrochemical process aimed at the regeneration of a soil washing EDTA solution used for heavy metal extraction from a natural contaminated soil (excavated from Bellolampo, Palermo, Italy), which was vastly polluted with Cu (59261.0 mg kg −1), Pb (14178.1 mg kg −1) and Zn (14084.9 mg kg−1). The electrolytic regeneration of the exhausted washing solution was performed in a laboratory scale electrolytic cell with 50 ml each cathodic and anodic chambers divided by a cation exchange membrane. Experiments II and III showed maximum Cu and Zn removal efficiencies from the EDTA solution, of 99.2 ± 0.2 and 31.5 ± 9.3%, respectively, when a current intensity of 0.25 A and a hydraulic retention time of 60 min were applied to the electrolytic cell, while the maximum Pb removal efficiency of 70.9 ± 4.6% was obtained with a current intensity of 1.25 A and a hydraulic retention time of 60 min. During Experiment I the overall heavy metals removal efficiency was stable and close to 90% up to 20 h, while decreased to values lower than 80% after 40 h, indicating the occurrence of a significant saturation of the cathode graphite bed between 20 and 40 h. The capability of the regenerated EDTA solution to treat heavy metals polluted soils was tested in further experiments applying both a single and a multi-step washing treatment procedure. In particular, the latter showed the feasibility to increase heavy metal soil extractions over subsequent washing steps with Cu, Pb and Zn total removal efficiencies of 52.6, 100.0 and 41.3%, respectively.