Fundamental study on volume reduction of heavy metal-contaminated soil by magnetic separation

Large-scale civil engineering works discharge a large amount of soil suspension contaminated with natural heavy metals. Most of the heavy metal ions due to industrial activities and minings are accumulated in the soils and the sediments of lakes and inner bays through the rivers. It is necessary to remove heavy metals from the soils and the sediments, because some of these heavy metals, such as arsenic and cadmium, have significant biological effects even in small amounts. This study proposes a new volume reduction method of the contaminated soils and sediments by superconducting magnetic separation. Our process can remove the specific minute minerals selectively, which adsorbs heavy metals depending on pH. As a fundamental study, the adsorption behaviors of arsenic and cadmium on minute minerals as a function of pH were investigated, and the adsorption mechanism was discussed based on the crystal structure and pH dependence of surface potential in each minute minerals.