Effective immobilization and biosafety assessment of antimony in soil with zeolite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron

Ying Zhao, Xinyi Zhang, Haotian Xue, Bin Gong, Qingxu Li, Wenshan Guo, Xiaoguang Meng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Antimony (Sb) contamination in certain areas caused by activities such as antimony mining and smelting poses significant risks to human health and ecosystems. In this study, a stable composite material consisting of natural zeolite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (Z-ZVI) was successfully prepared. The immobilization effect of Z-ZVI on Sb in contaminated soil was investigated. Experimental results showed that Z-ZVI exhibited superior performance compared to pure nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in terms of stability, with a lower zeta potential (−25.16 mV) at a pH of 7 and a higher specific surface area (54.54 m2/g). It can be easily applied and dispersed in contaminated soils. Additionally, Z-ZVI demonstrated a more abundant porous structure. After 60 days of treatment with 3% Z-ZVI, the leaching concentration of Sb in the contaminated soil decreased from 1.32 mg/L to 0.31 mg/L (a reduction of 76%), and the concentration of available Sb species decreased from 19.84 mg/kg to 0.71 mg/kg, achieving a fixation efficiency of up to 90%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the effective immobilization of Sb in the soil through reduction of antimonate to antimonite, precipitation, and adsorption processes facilitated by Z-ZVI. Moreover, the addition of Z-ZVI effectively reduced the bioavailability of Sb in the contaminated soil, thereby mitigating its toxicity to earthworms. In conclusion, Z-ZVI can be utilized as a promising material for the safe remediation and antimony and other heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Original languageEnglish
Article number124082
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume352
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2024

Keywords

  • Antimony contamination
  • Nanoscale zero-valent iron
  • Safety evaluation
  • Soil remediation
  • Zeolite

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