Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles Remediate Nickel-Contaminated Aqueous Solutions and Biosolids-Amended Agricultural Soil

oleh: Ahmed M. Mahdy, Tiequan Zhang, Zhi-Qing Lin, Nieven O. Fathi, Rasha M. Badr Eldin

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-05-01

Deskripsi

Nickel (Ni<sup>+2</sup>) accumulation in wastewater treatment sludge poses a potential environmental risk with biosolids-land application. An incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) on Ni<sup>+2</sup> sorption in biosolids-treated agricultural soils. Two application rates of biosolids (0, 5%, <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) and four treatment levels (0, 1, 5, and 10 g/kg) of nZVI were examined, either separately or interactively. The results of this study showed significant differences in Ni<sup>+2</sup> sorption capacity between different nZVI treatments. The initial Ni<sup>+2</sup> concentration in biosolids-amended soil significantly affected Ni sorption in the soil treated with nZVI. The “H-shape” of sorption isotherm in nZVI-treated soil reflects strong interaction between the Ni concentration and the nZVI treatment, while the C-shape of sorption isotherm in biosolids-amended soil without the nZVI treatment indicates intermediate affinity for Ni<sup>+2</sup> sorption. Nickel retention in soil was increased with the increase of nZVI levels. The removal efficiency of Ni<sup>+2</sup> by nZVI from solution was increased with the increase of pH from 5 to 11 and reached a maximum of 99.56% at pH 11 and nZVI treatment of 10 g/kg. The Ni<sup>+2</sup> desorption rate decreased from 92 to 7, 4, and 1% with increasing nZVI treatment levels from 0 to 1, 5, and 10 g/kg, respectively, with a soil Ni<sup>+2</sup> concentration of 50 mg/L. The maximum adsorption capacity (?<sub>max</sub>) of 10 g/kg nZVI-treated soil was 333.3 mg/g, which was much higher than those from the other treatments of 0 (5 mg/g), 1 (25 mg/g), and 5 g/kg (125 mg/g). The underlying mechanism for Ni<sup>+2</sup> immobilization using nZVI in an aquatic environment is controlled by a sorption process, reduction of metal ion to zero-valent metal, as well as (co)precipitation. Moreover, increasing the nZVI treatment level in biosolids-amended soil significantly decreased bioavailable Ni<sup>+2</sup> concentrations in the soil.