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Soil Amendment Treatability Study Technical Support for Region 7: Utilization of jarosite-based Pb remediation techniques
Citation:
Sowers, T. AND K. Bradham. Soil Amendment Treatability Study Technical Support for Region 7: Utilization of jarosite-based Pb remediation techniques. ORD Project Update - Soil Amendment Treatability Study Technical Support with Plumbojarosite for Region 7 SEMD mining sites, Durham (virtual), NC, November 30, 2023.
Impact/Purpose:
We showcase the potential for K-jarosite to treat lead-contaminated soils to form plumbojarosite, a Pb mineral of very low bioaccessibility/bioavailability. This study confirms that plumbojarosite significantly decreased Pb and As biocessibility, making this an exceptionally promising remediation technology. A primary barrier to our early research involving plumbojarosite formation was high temperature requirements for the treatment to function (95-100°C); however, our newly developed K-jarosite method may be performed at room temperature conditions. These findings further ORD’s research on development of soil remediation technologies to reduce lead bioavailability at contaminated sites in support of EPA’s OLEM/OSRTI and Regional offices. ORD’s soil remediation research for lead contaminated soils is listed as a high priority research need for OLEM/OSRTI and EPA Regional offices. This work paves the way for field trials that are actively being planned.
Description:
Lead (Pb) acontamination of soils is widespread in the United States and is an important source of exposure in young children. Early life exposure to metal(loid) contaminants has serious and long-lasting effects on health, making mitigation a critical public health goal. Removal/replacement of contaminated soils is often used to reduce exposure; however, this approach can be economically and logistically impractical. Here, we examined properties of pre- and post-treatment soils using novel jarosite-based remediation methods. Bulk and spatially-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that both treatments were effective at converting Pb and As contaminated orchard soil to low bioaccessibility/bioavailability PLJ. These results suggest that jarosite-conversion techniques are a promising option for soil Pb remediation; however, further investigation applying these chemical techniques in field conditions is needed to assess long-term efficacy and suitability.