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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are stable organic chemicals, which have been used globally since the 1940s and have caused PFAS contamination around the world. This study explores perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) enrichment and destruction by a combined method of sorption/desorption and photocatalytic reduction. A novel biosorbent (PG-PB) was developed from raw pine bark by grafting amine groups and quaternary ammonium groups onto the surface of bark particles. The results of PFOA adsorption at low concentration suggest that PG-PB has excellent removal efficiency (94.8%–99.1%, PG-PB dosage: 0.4 g/L) to PFOA in the concentration range of 10 μg/L to 2 mg/L. The PG-PB exhibited high adsorption efficiency regarding PFOA, being 456.0 mg/g at pH 3.3 and 258.0 mg/g at pH 7 with an initial concentration of 200 mg/L. The groundwater treatment reduced the total concentration of 28 PFAS from 18 000 ng/L to 9900 ng/L with 0.8 g/L of PG-PB. Desorption experiments examined 18 types of desorption solutions, and the results showed that 0.05% NaOH and a mixture of 0.05% NaOH + 20% methanol were efficient for PFOA desorption from the spent PG-PB. More than 70% (>70 mg/L in 50 mL) and 85% (>85 mg/L in 50 mL) of PFOA were recovered from the first and second desorption processes, respectively. Since high pH promotes PFOA degradation, the desorption eluents with NaOH were directly treated with a UV/sulfite system without further adjustment. The final PFOA degradation and defluorination efficiency in the desorption eluents with 0.05% NaOH + 20% methanol reached 100% and 83.1% after 24 h reaction. This study proved that the combination of adsorption/desorption and a UV/sulfite system for PFAS removal is a feasible solution for environmental remediation. Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-05-05 (hanlid);Funder: Regional Council of Lapland; Troms og Finnmark County Municipality Sustainable management of PFAS-contaminated materials

An in situ method for spreading iron amendments to arsenic (As)-contaminated soil has been investigated in the laboratory and field. This study tested the distribution of Fe from corroding electrodes through soil using a low-voltage direct current in a laboratory setting and validated the method in the field for As immobilisation in contaminated soil. Laboratory tests revealed that the corrosion of Fe electrodes in soil occurred in a way similar to that during the Fe electrocoagulation in water, which decreased the As concentrations in flow-through water from 150 μg L

Contaminated water with multiple contaminants, including As, Cr, Cu and Zn, was treated with a sorbent prepared by coating peat with Fe oxides. Because As has a relatively little explored market, the regeneration of the spent sorbent was not feasible. Meanwhile, the disposal of As wastes in landfills can cause landfill leachate treatment problems. Under the reducing conditions prevailing at landfills, As(V) is reduced to As(III), which is a toxic and more mobile form. In this study, incineration was explored as a management option to treat the spent sorbent that was loaded with As, Cr, Cu and Zn. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the leaching of these metal(loid)s from the ashes and compare it with the leaching from the spent sorbents before incineration. The second objective was to evaluate the leaching behaviour when the spent sorbent was co-incinerated with a Ca-rich additive (lime). To achieve these objectives, the obtained ashes were subjected to leaching tests, sequential extraction, and X-ray diffraction analyses. After the incineration, the ash content ranged from 9 to 19% of the initial mass of the spent sorbents. The leaching of As, Cu and Zn decreased compared with that from the spent sorbents before the thermal treatment because of the high incineration temperatures and/or co-incineration with lime. However, the leaching of Cr increased, which would hinder the disposal of the obtained ashes in a landfill because the limit value for disposal at a landfill for hazardous wastes was exceeded by 50 times. However, co-incineration with 10 wt% lime significantly decreased the leaching of Cr as a result of the formation of water-insoluble Ca-Cr compounds. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11356-020-09269-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Landfill operators must collect data on the topography of their landfills, their biological and hydrological characteristics, and local meteorological conditions. These data can be collected by satellite, using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or by traditional methods such as static flux chambers or modelling. They serve as the basis for landfill monitoring, including the identification and measurement of methane (CH4) gas emissions. Here, we present an approach for landfill mapping using sensor data from unmanned aerial drone systems (UADS) based on DJI Matrice 200 UAVs with Zenmuse X4S sensors and Trimble UX5 UAVs with Sony NEX-5R sensors. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and near infrared (NIR) data from these sensors were processed using a Geographic Information System (GIS) to generate orthoimages, digital elevation models (DEMs), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) maps. These were then used to evaluate changes in the surface structure and topography of the study area (Kariotiškės landfill, Lithuania). The NDVI maps were used to identify areas of sparse vegetation cover that may indicate localized CH4 emissions. Surface temperature maps based on thermal infrared (TIR) images were then prepared for analysis of these problematic areas. Finally, the presence of CH4 in these areas was investigated using a prototype lightweight gas sensor array. The structure of the Kariotiškės landfill site remained unchanged over three years, but there is evidence of possible CH4 gas influence at the landfill cover’s surface. The combination of UADS-mounted imaging systems and the prototype gas sensor array enabled rapid analysis of emission hotspots and of landfill topography.

Pulp and paper production is one of the largest global industries producing annually 400 million metric tons of pulp and paper products and 6 million tons of pulp and paper biosludge (PPBS). From a resource efficiency and sustainability perspective, there is a need for improving PPBS management. This study assessed fermentation of PPBS as pretreatment to improve PPBS feasibility as feed for black soldier fly larvae. The impact of temperature, pH, and inoculum on the concentration of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) was assessed. An initial pH of 10 and the addition of inoculum from an anaerobic digester substantially increased the concentration of sCOD. The obtained concentration of VFA was low compared to the VFA concentration needed to improve the growth of Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL). The PPBS is recalcitrant to fermentation because of the high content of lignocellulose. Fermentation as done in this study does not convert PPBS to a feasible feed for black soldier fly larvae; thus, further research on improved fermentation is needed. However, fermentation at alkaline pH and addition of inoculum do increase the final pH of PPBS which improves its feasibility as feed for BSFL. Future studies should explore pH > 10 and temperatures > 55 °C to increase sCOD and improving generation of VFA by removal of inhibiting substances, testing other types of inoculum (rumen microorganisms) and co-fermentation.

In 2009, a low-volume gravel road in Sweden was stabilised using fly ash from a local paper mill. The objective was to examine whether fly ash could be used to enhance the stability of the road and how the nearby environment would be affected. The technical and environmental properties of the road have been monitored for two, six, and eleven years. Because the construction costs are higher for ash upgrading than for conventional upgrading, knowing for how long the improved properties will remain is relevant. Strength development was studied using a falling weight deflectometer and compressive strength tests. Environmental properties were studied by chemical analysis of road samples, soil, soil pore water, and vegetation. The results showed that the ash sections had higher stiffness than the reference sections. Leaching tests of road samples showed that the mobility of potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate decreased with time. Trace element concentrations in soil samples, except barium, were below the Swedish guideline values for sensitive land use. Chromium, lead, and copper were as high or even higher along the reference section than along the ash section. After 11 years, the pH closest to the ash section was slightly enhanced. Concentrations of zinc and cadmium in the soil pore water were the lowest closest to the ash road, although the total concentrations in the soil were at their highest at the same distance. No toxic levels of trace elements were found in the vegetation close to the road, although a clear difference was observed between plants from the ash section and the reference section, using multivariate data analysis. The positive effects on the geotechnical road properties from ash stabilisation remained after 11 years. The environmental impacts on nearby soil and vegetation can be considered low and acceptable. This study demonstrates that the use of biofuel fly ash in infrastructure projects can contribute to the circular economy and effective use of resources because the demand for pristine materials will be reduced.

Global warming, as the result of the negative impact of humans on climate change, has been observed based on various data sources. Various measures have aimed to reduce anthropogenic factors, and also to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane CH4 emissions. One of the main contributors to anthropogenic factors is organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills. There are many landfills where cost-effective rapid technologies for the identification and quantification of CH4 emission sites are not applied. There is still a need for the development of accessible and cost-effective methods that react in a real-time manner for the rapid detection and monitoring of methane emissions. This paper’s main goal is to create a prototype sensor suitable for operational measurement of the gas value, suitable for integration into geodetic equipment or an unmanned aerial vehicle system. A sensor system (device) was developed, which consisted of three semiconductor sensors—MQ2, MQ4, and MQ135—which aimed to capture flammable gases (CO2, CH4, O2 purity) and to evaluate the averages of the measured values from the components mounted on the board—the semiconductor sensors. The sensors were calibrated in a laboratory and tested in a closed landfill. The measurement data consisted of the read resistances (analog signal) from the MQ2, MQ4, and MQ135 sensors, and the relative humidity and the temperature (digital signal) of the DHT2 sensor with a timestamp calculated by the RTC module. The use of the method was confirmed because the sensors reacted as expected when placed in the vicinity of the gas collection well. Furthermore, the sensor will be tested and improved for field work in landfill sites.

Chemical stabilization of metals is lately considered as a possible pretreatment for soilcontaminated with average levels of trace elements. The element mobility in soil can bealtered by adding soil amendments that can adsorb, complex, or co-precipitate trace elements.As a consequence, pollutant spreading from the contaminated soil and effect on the recipientcan be reduced. The different contaminants originating from wood impregnation chemicals,e.g. Cu, Cr, and As limit the choice of amendments because e.g. large pH fluctuations andconsequent mobilization of Cu or As should be avoided. The results show that the leaching ofarsenic is lowest in the lysimeter with 15% Fe3O4. In both lysimeters with untreated soil andwith 1 % Fe 0, the arsenic leaching seems to decrease with the sampling depth. The leaching ofcopper is generally low. Further the addition of iron seems to increase the leaching ofmanganese and nickel but to reduce the leaching of zinc. Results from the laboratoryexperiment show that the arsenic content in the leachate is lowest with the highest mixture ofmagnetite. Mixing is one of the key issues when discussing the treatment efficiency andpossible use of the treated soil. The results so far indicate that magnetite can be used fortreatment of CCA contaminated soil also at a large scale. Reduction of both arsenic andcopper using a single amendment is challenging as they behave opposite. Magnetite seems tobe a promising amendment even though a high amount of amendment needs to be added.Moreover, the potential establishment of reducing conditions at larger depths in the soil is ofconcern since this might lead to a rapid increase in arsenic leaching

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) is a wet and relatively low-temperature process where, under autogenous pressures, biomass undergoes a chain of reactions leading to the defragmentation of organic matter. As well as its other uses (e.g. for producing low-cost carbon-based nano-compounds), HTC is utilised for the treatment of wet wastes, such as manure and biosludge. This study aimed to determine if hydrothermal carbonisation is a feasible treatment method for spent sorbents that are highly enriched with arsenic, chromium, copper, and zinc. The chemical properties of hydrochar and process liquid were evaluated after HTC treatment, where peat-based spent sorbents were carbonised at 230 °C for 3 h. Analysis of Fourier transform-infrared spectra revealed that during HTC, the oxygenated bonds of ethers, esters, and carboxylic groups were cleaved, and low-molecular-weight organic fragments were dissolved in the process liquid. A large fraction of arsenic (up to 62%), copper (up to 25%), and zinc (up to 36%) were transferred from the solids into the process water. Leaching of these elements from the hydrochars increased significantly in comparison with the spent sorbents.

The chemical stabilization, or immobilization, of trace elements (metals and metalloids; TE) in contaminated soil has been studied for decades. A vast number of scientific publications are available on the method performance in laboratory settings, reporting that the application of various soil amendments to contaminated soil reduces TE mobility, bioavailability and toxicity. The most commonly used soil amendments include organic matter, iron oxides, phosphates, ashes, and lately biochar, alone or in combination with each other and/or lime. Most of the implemented field studies show a certain degree of improvement in soil and/or vegetation status following amendment. Regardless the positive performance of the technique in the laboratory, field validations and demonstrations remain scarce. The establishment of a field experiment often involves permits from authorities and agreements with site owners, both of which are considerably more time-consuming than laboratory tests. Due to conservative institutional structures, public authorities have been slow to adopt alternative remediation technologies, especially when the total TE concentration in soil remains the same and all of the associated risks are not yet convincingly described. For this reason, researchers should also focus on enhancing public knowledge of alternative remediation techniques so that future projects which aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of in situ immobilization techniques under natural conditions will be supported.

Electrochemical degradation using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes has been proven to be a promising technique for the treatment of water contaminated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Various studies have demonstrated that the extent of PFAS degradation is influenced by the composition of samples and electrochemical conditions. This study evaluated the significance of several factors, such as the current density, initial concentration of PFAS, concentration of electrolyte, treatment time, and their interactions on the degradation of PFAS. A 24 factorial design was applied to determine the effects of the investigated factors on the degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and generation of fluoride in spiked water. The best-performing conditions were then applied to the degradation of PFAS in wastewater samples. The results revealed that current density and time were the most important factors for PFOA degradation. In contrast, a high initial concentration of electrolyte had no significant impact on the degradation of PFOA, whereas it decreased the generation of F− . The experimental design model indicated that the treatment of spiked water under a current density higher than 14 mA cm− 2 for 3–4 h could degrade PFOA with an efficiency of up to 100% and generate an F− fraction of approximately 40–50%. The observed high PFOA degradation and a low concentration of PFAS degradation products indicated that the mineralization of PFOA was effective. Under the obtained best conditions, the degradation of PFOA in wastewater samples was 44–70%. The degradation efficiency for other PFAS in these samples was 65–80% for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and 42–52% for 6–2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6-2 FTSA). The presence of high total organic carbon (TOC) and chloride contents was found to be an important factor affecting the efficiency of PFAS electrochemical degradation in wastewater samples. The current study indicates that the tested method can effectively degrade PFAS in both water and wastewater and suggests that increasing the treatment time is needed to account for the presence of other oxidizable matrices.

International audience; This study aimed at elucidating the long-term efficiency of soil remediation where chemical stabilization of arsenic (As) contaminated soil using zerovalent iron (Fe) amendments was applied. A combination of chemical extraction and extended X-Ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy technique was applied on soils collected from five laboratory and field experiments in Sweden and France. All soils were treated with 1 wt% of zerovalent Fe grit 2e15 years prior to the sampling. The results indicate that all studied soils, despite the elapsed time since their amendment with Fe grit, had substantial amounts of ferrihydrite and/or lepidocrocite. These metastable and the most reactive Fe (oxyhydr)oxides (mainly ferrihydrite) were still present in substantial amounts even in the soil that was treated 15 years prior to the sampling and contributed most to the As immobilisation in the amended soils. This increases confidence in the long-term efficiency of As immobilisation using zerovalent Fe amendments. Both applied methods, sequential extraction and EXAFS, were in line for most of the samples in terms of their ability to highlight As immobilisation by poorly crystalline Fe phases.

Refereed/Peer-reviewed Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic chemicals, which are introduced to the environment through anthropogenic activities. Aqueous film forming foam used in firefighting, wastewater effluent, landfill leachate, and biosolids are major sources of PFAS input to soil and groundwater. Remediation of PFAS contaminated solid and aqueous media is challenging, which is attributed to the chemical and thermal stability of PFAS and the complexity of PFAS mixtures. In this review, remediation of PFAS contaminated soils through manipulation of their bioavailability and destruction is presented. While the mobilizing amendments (e.g., surfactants) enhance the mobility and bioavailability of PFAS, the immobilizing amendments (e.g., activated carbon) decrease their bioavailability and mobility. Mobilizing amendments can be applied to facilitate the removal of PFAS though soil washing, phytoremediation, and complete destruction through thermal and chemical redox reactions. Immobilizing amendments are likely to reduce the transfer of PFAS to food chain through plant and biota (e.g., earthworm) uptake, and leaching to potable water sources. Future studies should focus on quantifying the potential leaching of the mobilized PFAS in the absence of removal by plant and biota uptake or soil washing, and regular monitoring of the long-term stability of the immobilized PFAS

This paper presents experimental results from the use of biosurfactants in the remediation of a soil from a smelter in Poland. In the soil, concentrations of Cu (1659.1 mg/kg) and Pb (290.8 mg/kg) exceeded the limit values. Triple batch washing was tested as a soil treatment. Three main variants were used, each starting with a different plant-derived (saponin, S; tannic acid, T) or microbial (rhamnolipids, R) biosurfactant solution in the first washing, followed by 9 different sequences using combinations of the tested biosurfactants (27 in total). The efficiency of the washing was determined based on the concentration of metal removed after each washing (CR), the cumulative removal efficiency (Ecumulative) and metal stability (calculated as the reduced partition index, Ir, based on the metal fractions from BCR sequential extraction). The type of biosurfactant sequence influenced the CR values. The variants that began with S and R had the highest average Ecumulative for Cu and Pb, respectively. The Ecumulative value correlated very strongly (r > 0.8) with the stability of the residual metals in the soil. The average Ecumulative and stability of Cu were the highest, 87.4% and 0.40, respectively, with the S-S-S, S-S-T, S-S-R and S-R-T sequences. Lead removal and stability were the highest, 64–73% and 0.36–0.41, respectively, with the R-R-R, R-R-S, R-S-R and R-S-S sequences. Although the loss of biosurfactants was below 10% after each washing, sequential washing with biosurfactants enriched the soil with external organic carbon by an average of 27-fold (S-first variant), 24-fold (R first) or 19-fold (T first). With regard to environmental limit values, metal stability and organic carbon resources, sequential washing with different biosurfactants is a beneficial strategy for the remediation of smelter-contaminated soil with given properties.

Some of the older Swedish roads contain road tar underneath a surface layer of bituminous asphalt. This road tar, also known as tar asphalt, contains large amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). There is concern about PAHs spreading from the bottom layers of these older roads to the surrounding environment, and that because of this spreading road tar asphalt should not be recycled but rather placed in landfills. However, a risk assessment of PAH spreading below roads has not yet been conducted. The first aim of this study was to assess this potential spreading of PAHs from underlying tar asphalt to the sand beneath, the soil next to the roads, as well as nearby groundwater. The second aim was to measure the bioavailability and estimate the toxicity of PAHs in all relevant media using polyoxymethylene (POM) passive samplers. Four road sections and nearby groundwater in northern Sweden were investigated, including a control road without tar asphalt. PAHs were detected in all analysed solid media at varying concentrations: in asphalt from 2.3 to 4800 mg kg−1, in underlying sand from 1200 mg kg−1 exhibited bioavailable concentrations that exceeded threshold concentrations for serious risk. The most PAH contaminated sand and soil samples exhibited low toxicity when considering bioavailability, only in some cases exceeding chronic toxicity threshold concentrations. These results were compared with the Swedish EPA's guideline values for PAH in contaminated soil, which is shown to overpredict toxicity for these sites. Further research on the leaching and transportation processes of PAHs from subsurface tar asphalt is recommended for developing risk analysis approaches.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a large scale washing/wet sieving technique for a soil contaminated with wood impregnation chemicals by 1) defining the final distribution of trace elements (As, Cu, Cr, Zn) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in separated soil particle size fractions; and 2) defining the leaching behavior of the contaminants in these soil fractions. A soil washing experiment was implemented at waste management facility in Sweden using a full scale soil sorting and washing equipment. Five tons of soil was loaded to the equipment and wet-sieved into the following fractions:16 mm, 8-16 mm, 2-8 mm, 0.2-2 mm,0.2 mm and a fraction that floated on top of the slurry before the final separation phase, composed of organic matter (OM). Analysis of total concentrations of contaminants in all soil fractions indicated that wet sieving/soil washing was not efficient to reduce the total volume of soil that needs further treatment. Even the coarsest soil fractions (8 mm) contained elevated concentrations of total As and PAH. Leaching of As from all washed soil fractions was so high, that none of the particle size fractions could be disposed of without additional treatment.

This study firstly aimed to investigate the potential of simultaneous metal (loid) removal from metal (oid) solution through adsorption on iron-peat, where the sorbent was made from peat and Fe by-products. Up-flow columns filled with the prepared sorbent were used to treat water contaminated with As, Cu, Cr, and Zn. Peat effectively adsorbed Cr, Cu, and Zn, whereas approximately 50% of inlet As was detected in the eluent. Iron-sand was effective only for adsorbing As, but Cr, Cu, and Zn were poorly adsorbed. Only iron-peat showed the simultaneous removal of all tested metal (loid)s. Metal (loid) leaching from the spent sorbent at reducing conditions as means to assess the behaviour of the spent sorbent if landfilled was also evaluated. For this purpose, a standardised batch leaching test and leaching experiment at reducing conditions were conducted using the spent sorbent. It was found that oxidising conditions, which prevailed during the standardised batch leaching test, could have led to an underestimation of redox-sensitive As leaching. Substantially higher amounts of As were leached out from the spent sorbents at reducing atmosphere compared with oxidising one. Furthermore, reducing environment caused As(V) to be reduced into the more-toxic As (III). Validerad;2019;Nivå 2;2019-09-09 (johcin)

Cadmium, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn removal via soil flushing with tannic acid (TA) as a plant biosurfactant was studied. The soil was treated for 30 h in a column reactor at a constant TA concentration and pH (3%, pH 4) and at variable TA flow rates (0.5 mL/min or 1 mL/min). In the soil leachates, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved organic carbon, and metal concentrations were monitored. Before and after flushing, soil pH, EC, organic matter content, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were determined. To analyze the organic matter composition, pyrolysis as well as thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used. Metal fractionation in unflushed and flushed soil was analyzed using a modified sequential extraction method. The data on cumulative metal removal were analyzed using OriginPro 8.0 software (OriginLab Corporation, Northampton, MA, USA) and were fitted to 4-parameter logistic sigmoidal model. It was found that flushing time had a stronger influence on metal removal than flow rate. The overall efficiency of metal removal (expressed as the ratio between flushed metal concentration and total metal concentration in soil) at the higher flow rate decreased in this order: Cd (86%) &gt, Ni (44%) &gt, Cu (29%) ≈ Zn (26%) &gt, Pb (15%). Metals were removed from the exchangeable fraction and redistributed into the reducible fraction. After flushing, the soil had a lower pH, EC, and CEC, a higher organic matter content, the composition of the organic matter had changed (incorporation of TA structures). Our results prove that soil flushing with TA is a promising approach to decrease metal concentration in soil and to facilitate carbon sequestration in soil.

Secondary iron oxides formed in acid mine drainage, such as schwertmannite, are scavengers for metal(loid)s in mining environments. Increasing the understanding of the geochemical transformations of these minerals, as well as knowing how metal(loid)s affect these transformations, is crucial to ultimately predict the fate of these trace elements in acidic mine drainage and to minimize the potential environmental risk. In this study, transformation experiments have been conducted with a schwertmannite-rich sediment collected from a mining area and with synthesized schwertmannite as a reference material. The transformation of schwertmannite into goethite was studied as a function of the presence of arsenic, pH value, and redox conditions. Arsenic delayed the mineral transformation from pseudo-stable amorphous phases to more stable crystalline forms, especially at higher arsenic loadings and more acidic pH. Experiments in the presence of Fe(II) and ascorbic acid have proven that both components promote the mineral transformation or reductive dissolution of schwertmannite under anoxic conditions. The presence of arsenic reduced the catalytic effect of Fe(II), stabilizing the schwertmannite particles. On the other hand, arsenic had no effect on the reductive dissolution at these conditions when ascorbic acid was used as a reducing agent.

This article discusses the environmental concerns regarding soil contamination by heavy metals and the possibility of growing a high biomass-yielding crop (i.e., rapeseed) as a tool of phytoremedia ...

The use of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has resulted in the contamination of different environmental matrices. In EU countries, the sites contaminated with PFAS are usually remediated by excavating the soil and disposing of it in a landfill, as no in-situ or on-site techniques capable of treating large quantities of soil cost-effectively have been developed. Landfilling of PFAS-contaminated soil is one of the sources of PFAS in landfill leachate. In this paper, the physical and chemical treatment methods to remove PFAS from soils and landfill leachates are described. Among the challenges that may limit the remediation of contaminated sites, we highlight the lack of strict regulation of PFAS in soils, the cost, the ineffectiveness of some methods for the remediation of certain PFAS compounds, and the limitation of the environmental matrices.

Ash from poultry feather gasification was investigated as an adsorbent for Cd removal from synthetic wastewater under a range of operational conditions: initial pH (2&ndash, 8) and salinity (8&ndash, 38 mS/cm) of wastewater, ash dosage (2.5&ndash, 50 g/L), Cd concentration (25&ndash, 800 mg/L) and contact time (5&ndash, 720 min). The ash was highly alkaline and had low surface area and micropores averaging 1.12 nm in diameter. Chemical/mineralogical analysis revealed a high content of P2O5 (39.9 wt %) and CaO (35.5 wt %), and the presence of calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite and calcium. It contained only trace amounts of heavy metals, BTEX, PAHs and PCBs, making it a safe mineral by-product. Cd adsorption was described best with Langmuir and pseudo-second order models. At pH 5, an ash dosage of 5 g/L, 40 min contact time and 100 mg Cd/L, 99% of Cd was removed from wastewater. The salinity did not affect Cd sorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd was very high (126.6 mg/g). Surface precipitation was the main mechanism of Cd removal, possibly accompanied by ion exchange between Cd and Ca, coprecipitation of Cd with Ca-mineral components and Cd complexation with phosphate surface sites. Poultry ash effectively removes high concentrations of toxic Cd from wastewater.

The aim of this study was to compare the immobilisation of metal(loid)s in two differently contaminated soils using micro zerovalent iron (ZVI) and nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) particles. Chromated copper arsenate-contaminated soil contained high amounts of As, Cu, Cr, and Zn, whereas mining-contaminated soil contained high amounts of As, Cu, and Pb. Contaminated soils were amended using 2% ZVI and nZVI. As determined by the leaching procedures, nZVI was more efficient in immobilising all the studied metal(loid)s in the soils compared to ZVI. The greatest immobilisation was achieved for As in both soils. The long-term stability of immobilised metal(loid)s was studied in mining-contaminated soil by performing thermal oxidation (ageing). In the ZVI and nZVI-treated soils, high retention results were achieved for As and Cu, whereas in the ZVI and nZVI-treated soils, significant desorption of Pb was observed. The results also showed that retention of metal(loid)s over a long period of time could be more effective in soils treated with ZVI, as the crystallisation of Fe in ZVI-treated soil was to a lesser extent compared to the crystallisation of Fe in nZVI-treated soil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stabilization/solidification (S/S) of trace element-contaminated soil using air pollution control residues (APCRs) prior to disposal in landfill sites. Two soil samples (with low and moderate concentrations of organic matter) were stabilized using three APCRs that originated from the incineration of municipal solid waste, bio-fuels and a mixture of coal and crushed olive kernels. Two APCR/soil mixtures were tested: 30 % APCR/70 % soil and 50 % APCR/50 % soil. A batch leaching test was used to study immobilization of As and co-occurring metals Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. Solidification was evaluated by measuring the unconfined compression strength (UCS). Leaching of As was reduced by 39–93 % in APCR/soil mixtures and decreased with increased amounts of added APCR. Immobilization of As positively correlated with the amount of Ca in the APCR and negatively with the amount of soil organic matter. According to geochemical modelling, the precipitation of calcium arsenate (Ca3(AsO4)2/4H2O) and incorporation of As in ettringite (Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O) in soil/APCR mixtures might explain the reduced leaching of As. A negative effect of the treatment was an increased leaching of Cu, Cr and dissolved organic carbon. Solidification of APCR/soil was considerably weakened by soil organic matter.

The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of As, Cr and Cu in contaminated soil treated with air pollution control residues under landfill conditions. The influence of landfill gas and temperature on the release of trace elements from stabilized soil was simulated using a diffusion test. The air pollution control residues immobilized As through the precipitation of Ca–As minerals (calcium arsenate (Ca5H2(AsO4)3 × 5H2O), weilite (CaAsO4) and johnbaumite (Ca5(AsO4)3(OH)), incorporation of As into ettringite (Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 × 26H2O) and adsorption by calcite (CaCO3). The air pollution control residues generally showed a high resistance to pH reduction, indicating high buffer capacity and stability of immobilized As in a landfill over time. Generation of heat in a landfill might increase the release of trace elements. The release of As from stabilized soil was diffusion-controlled at 60 °C, while surface wash-off, dissolution, and depletion prevailed at 20 °C. The air pollution control residues from the incineration of municipal solid waste immobilized Cr, indicating its stability in a landfill. The treatment of soil with air pollution control residues was not effective in immobilization of Cu. Contaminated soils treated with air pollution control residues will probably have a low impact on overall leachate quality from a landfill.

Gentle remediation options (GRO), i.e. in situ stabilisation, (aided) phytoextraction and (aided) phytostabilisation, were implemented at ten European sites contaminated with trace elements (TE) from various anthropogenic sources: mining, atmospheric fallout, landfill leachates, wood preservatives, dredged-sediments, and dumped wastes. To assess the performance of the GRO options, topsoil was collected from each field trial, potted, and cultivated with lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) for 48 days. Shoot dry weight (DW) yield, photosynthesis efficiency and major element and TE concentrations in the soil pore water and lettuce shoots were measured.GRO implementation had a limited effect on TE concentrations in the soil pore water, although use of multivariate Co-inertia Analysis revealed a clear amelioration effect in phytomanaged soils. Phytomanagement increased shoot DW yield at all industrial and mine sites, whereas in agricultural soils improvements were produced in one out of five sites. Photosynthesis efficiency was less sensitive than changes in shoot biomass and did not discriminate changes in soil conditions.Based on lettuce shoot DW yield, compost amendment followed by phytoextraction yielded better results than phytostabilisation; moreover shoot ionome data proved that, depending on initial soil conditions, recurrent compost application may be required to maintain crop production with common shoot nutrient concentrations.

This study aimed at combining iron and peat to produce a sorbent suitable for a simultaneous removal of cations and anions from a solution. Peat powder, an industrial residue, was coated with iron by immersing peat into iron salt solutions. The adsorption efficiency of the newly produced sorbent towards As, Cr, Cu and Zn was tested by means of batch adsorption experiments at a constant pH value of 5. Coating of Fe on peat significantly increased the adsorption of As (from5% to 80%) and Cr (from3% to 25%) in comparison to uncoated peat. Removal of cations on coated peat slightly decreased (by 10-15%), yet remained within acceptable range. Electron Microscopy combined with X-Ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy revealed that iron coating on the peat was rather homogenous and As and Cr were abundantly adsorbed on the surface. By contrast, Cu and Zn displayed a sparing distribution on the surface of the iron coated peat. These results indicate that iron-peat simultaneously target sufficient amounts of both cations and anions and can be used for a one-step treatment of contaminated groundwater.

A questionnaire survey was carried out in four European countries to gather end-user's perceptions of using plants from phytotechnologies in combustion and anaerobic digestion (AD). Nine actors of the wood energy sector from France, Germany, and Sweden, and eleven AD platform operators from France, Germany, and Austria were interviewed. Questions related to installation, input materials, performed analyses, phytostabilization, and phytoextraction were asked. Although the majority of respondents did not know phytotechnologies, results suggested that plant biomass from phytomanaged areas could be used in AD and combustion, under certain conditions. As a potential benefit, phytomanaged plants would not compete with plants grown on agricultural lands, contaminated lands being not suitable for agriculture production. Main limitations would be related to additional controls in process' inputs and end-products and installations that might generate additional costs. In most cases, the price of phytotechnologies biomass was mentioned as a driver to potentially use plants from metal-contaminated soils. Plants used in phytostabilization or phytoexclusion were thought to be less risky and, consequently, benefited from a better theoretical acceptance than those issued from phytoextraction. Results were discussed according to national regulations. One issue was related to the regulatory gap concerning the status of the plant biomass produced on contaminated land.

The leaching behaviour of a road construction with fayalitic copper slag, recycled concrete and crushed rock as sub-base materials was monitored over ten years. All studied materials used in the road construction, including crushed rock, contained concentrations of several elements exceeding the guideline values recommended by the Swedish EPA for total element concentrations for waste materials used in constructions. Despite that, leaching from the road construction under field conditions in general was relatively low. The leachates from the recycled materials contained higher concentrations of several constituents than the leachates from the reference section with crushed rock. The leaching of the elements of interest (Cr, Mo, Ni, Zn) reached peak concentrations during the second and fourth (Cu) years and decreased over the observation period to levels below the Swedish recommended values. Carbonation of the concrete aggregates caused a substantial but short-term increase in the leaching of oxyanions such as chromate. The environmental risks related to element leaching are highest at the beginning of the road life. Ageing of materials or pre-treatment through leaching is needed prior to their use in construction to avoid peak concentrations. Also, the design of road constructions should be adjusted so that recycled materials are covered with low-permeability covers, which would minimize the exposure to atmospheric precipitation and weathering.

Trace element-contaminated soils (TECSs) are one of the consequences of the past industrial development worldwide. Excessive exposure to trace elements (TEs) represents a permanent threat to ecosystems and humans worldwide owing to the capacity of metal(loid)s to cross the cell membranes of living organisms and of human epithelia, and their interference with cell metabolism. Quantification of TE bioavailability in soils is complicated due to the polyphasic and reactive nature of soil constituents. To unravel critical factors controlling soil TE bioavailability and to quantify the ecological toxicity of TECSs, TEs are pivotal for evaluating excessive exposure or deficiencies and controlling the ecological risks. While current knowledge on TE bioavailability and related cumulative consequences is growing, the lack of an integrated use of this concept still hinders its utilization for a more holistic view of ecosystem vulnerability and risks for human health. Bioavailability is not generally included in models for decision making in the appraisal of TECS remediation options. In this review we describe the methods for determining the TE bioavailability and technological developments, gaps in current knowledge, and research needed to better understand how TE bioavailability can be controlled by sustainable TECS management altering key chemical properties, which would allow policy decisions for environmental protection and risk management.

Feasibility of soil washing to remediate Hg contaminated soil was studied. Dry sieving was performed to evaluate Hg distribution in soil particle size fractions. The influence of dissolved organic matter and chlorides on Hg dissolution was assessed by batch leaching tests. Mercury mobilization in the pH range of 3–11 was studied by pH-static titration. Results showed infeasibility of physical separation via dry sieving, as the least contaminated fraction exceeded the Swedish generic guideline value for Hg in soils. Soluble Hg did not correlate with dissolved organic carbon in the water leachate. The highest Hg dissolution was achieved at pH 5 and 11, reaching up to 0.3% of the total Hg. The pH adjustment was therefore not sufficient for the Hg removal to acceptable levels. Chlorides did not facilitate Hg mobilization under acidic pH either. Mercury was firmly bound in the studied soil thus soil washing might be insufficient method to treat the studied soil.

Industrial residues, such as fly ashes and biosolids, contain elements (e.g., N, P, K, S, Ca and Zn) that make them a viable alternative for synthetic fertilizers in forestry and agriculture. However, the use of these materials is often limited due to the presence of potentially toxic substances. It is therefore necessary to assess and, when warranted, modify the chemical and physical form of these and similar waste materials before any advantages are taken of their beneficial properties. Biofuel fly ash, municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash, biosolids, peat, peat residues and gypsum board waste were combined in various proportions, and this resulted in increased leaching of N, P, S, Cu and Mn, but decreased leaching of Ca, K, Mg, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Al, As and Pb. Chemical fractionation revealed that elements Ca, K, Mg, S and Mn were predominantly exchangeable, while the rest of the elements were less mobile. Cadmium was mostly exchangeable in MSWI fly ash, but less mobile in biofuel fly ash mixtures. Recycling of MSWI fly ash in the mixtures with fertilizers is considerably less attractive, due to the high levels of salts and exchangeable Cd.

The aim of the study was to determine if an As-contaminated soil, stabilized using zerovalent iron (Fe(0)) and its combination with gypsum waste, coal fly ash, peat, or sewage sludge, could be used as a construction material at the top layer of the landfill cover. A reproduction of 2 m thick protection/vegetation layer of a landfill cover using a column setup was used to determine the ability of the amendments to reduce As solubility and stimulate soil functionality along the soil profile. Soil amendment with Fe(0) was highly efficient in reducing As in soil porewater reaching 99 % reduction, but only at the soil surface. In the deeper soil layers (below 0.5 m), the Fe treatment had a reverse effect, As solubility increased dramatically exceeding that of the untreated soil or any other treatment by one to two orders of magnitude. A slight bioluminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri was detected in the Fe(0) treatment. Soil amendment with iron and peat showed no toxicity to bacteria and was the most efficient in reducing dissolved As in soil porewater throughout the 2 m soil profile followed by iron and gypsum treatment, most likely resulting from a low soil density and a good air diffusion to the soil. The least suitable combination of soil amendments for As immobilization was a mixture of iron with coal fly ash. An increase in all measured enzyme activities was observed in all treatments, particularly those receiving organic matter. For As to be stable in soil, a combination of amendments that can keep the soil porous and ensure the air diffusion through the entire soil layer of the landfill cover is required.

Gentle remediation options (GRO) are based on the combined use of plants, associated microorganisms and soil amendments, which can potentially restore soil functions and quality. We studied the effects of three GRO (aided-phytostabilisation, in situ stabilisation and phytoexclusion, and aided-phytoextraction) on the soil microbial biomass and respiration, the activities of hydrolase enzymes involved in the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, P, and S, and bacterial community structure of trace element contaminated soils (TECS) from six field trials across Europe. Community structure was studied using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting of Bacteria, α - and β - Proteobacteria , Actinobacteria and Streptomycetaceae , and sequencing of DGGE bands characteristic of specific treatments. The number of copies of genes involved in ammonia oxidation and denitrification were determined by qPCR. Phytomanagement increased soil microbial biomass at three sites and respiration at the Biogeco site (France). Enzyme activities were consistently higher in treated soils compared to untreated soils at the Biogeco site. At this site, microbial biomass increased from 696 to 2352 mg ATP kg −1 soil, respiration increased from 7.4 to 40.1 mg C-CO 2 kg −1 soil d −1 , and enzyme activities were 2–11-fold higher in treated soils compared to untreated soil. Phytomanagement induced shifts in the bacterial community structure at both, the total community and functional group levels, and generally increased the number of copies of genes involved in the N cycle ( nirK , nirS , nosZ , and amoA ). The influence of the main soil physico-chemical properties and trace element availability were assessed and eventual site-specific effects elucidated. Overall, our results demonstrate that phytomanagement of TECS influences soil biological activity in the long term.