IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i17p7550-d1468442.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investigating the Potential of Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation Combined with Modified Biochar for Remediation of Lead-Contaminated Loess

Author

Listed:
  • Pengli He

    (School of Civil Engineering, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China)

  • Jinjun Guo

    (School of Civil Engineering, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China)

  • Shixu Zhang

    (School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China)

Abstract

Lead (Pb) contamination in loess poses a significant environmental challenge that impedes sustainable development. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an innovative biomimetic mineralization technology that shows considerable promise in remediating soil contaminated with heavy metals. However, the toxicity of lead ions to Bacillus pasteurii reduces the efficiency of mineralization, subsequently diminishing the effectiveness of remediation. Although biochar can immobilize heavy metal ions, its adsorption instability presents a potential risk. In this study, we first compared the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), permeability coefficient, and toxicity leaching performance of lead-contaminated loess specimens remediated using biochar (BC), red mud (RM), red-mud-modified biochar (MBC), and MICP technology. Additionally, we evaluated the mechanism of MICP combined with varying amounts of MBC in remediating lead-contaminated loess combing Zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. The results showed that MICP technology outperforms traditional methods such as RM, BC, and MBC in the remediation of lead-contaminated loess. When MICP is combined with MBC, an increase in MBC content results in a higher pH (8.71) and a lower EC (232 us/cm). Toxic leaching tests reveal that increasing MBC content reduces the lead leaching concentration in loess, with optimal remediation being achieved at 5% MBC. Microscopic analysis indicates that the remediation mechanisms of MICP combined with MBC involve complexation, electrostatic adsorption, ion exchange, and precipitation reactions. The synergistic application of MICP and MBC effectively adsorbs and immobilizes lead ions in loess, enhancing its properties and demonstrating potential for pollution remediation and engineering applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Pengli He & Jinjun Guo & Shixu Zhang, 2024. "Investigating the Potential of Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation Combined with Modified Biochar for Remediation of Lead-Contaminated Loess," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:17:p:7550-:d:1468442
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/17/7550/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/17/7550/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qinqin Xu & Boran Wu & Xiaoli Chai, 2022. "In Situ Remediation Technology for Heavy Metal Contaminated Sediment: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Odika, P.O. & Anike, O.L. & Onwuemesi, A.G. & Odika, N.F. & Ejeckam, R.B., 2020. "Assessment of Environmental Geochemistry of Lead-Zinc Mining at Ishiagu Area, Lower Benue Trough, Southeastern Nigeria," Earth Science Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(1), pages 1-31, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shuoqi Huang & Zhenqiang Lu & Xiaoxin Zhao & Wenbo Tan & Hao Wang & Dali Liu & Wang Xing, 2024. "Molecular Basis of Energy Crops Functioning in Bioremediation of Heavy Metal Pollution," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-19, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:17:p:7550-:d:1468442. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.