Electrokinetic recovery of soil in case of poly-element contamination

Poly-element soil contamination is one of the major problems in the areas of high mining activities and large urban agglomerations. The article describes the lab-scale testing of electrokinetic removal of zinc, lead, copper and nickel from soil. The test soil samples were taken in an area exposed to the intense mining-induced loading. The tests were carried out in an electrochemical reactor for 24, 120 and 240 hours. The test soil samples feature the increased gross contents of heavy metals: Cu–1256.0, Pb–269.14, Ni–965.82 and Zn–2421.75 mg/kg. In addition, the forms of heavy metals were determined using Tessier’s method. The studies show that during electrochemical recovery for 24 h, the gross content of heavy metals drops by 82–97% on the average. As a result of the electric current effect on a soil solution and owing to internal movement of ions, re-grouping of forms of heavy metals takes place. Amongst the forms of copper and zinc, a considerable increase is observed in their number in connection with organic substance, while for zinc and nickel, the non-specifically adsorbed and exchange forms prevail. The studies also revealed the nonuniformity and different recoverability of heavy metals in the conditions of concurrence during reactions of formations of compounds of different-mobility metals. The research findings can facilitate development and improvement of methods based on electrochemical removal of heavy metals from soils in case of their poly-element contamination.

Shabanov M. V., Marichev M. S., Minkina T. M., Sokolov A. A., Mandzhieva S. S. Electrokinetic recovery of soil in case of poly-element contamination. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(6):94-108. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_6_0_94.

The study was carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state assignment in the field of scientific activity, No. FENW-2023-0008, and the Strategic Academic Leadership Program of the Southern Federal University («Priority 2030»).

M.V. Shabanov¹, Cand. Sci. (Agr.), Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, e-mail: geohim.spb@gmail.com, Scopus Author ID: 35171489500, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4725-3673,
M.S. Marichev¹, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory, e-mail: m.s.marichev@yandex.ru, Scopus Author ID: 57216298057, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0429-2234,
T.M. Minkina², Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: minkina@sfedu.ru, Scopus Author ID: 15063165400, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3022-0883,
A.A. Sokolov, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, Branch of Southern Federal University in Gelendzhik, Gelendzhik, Russia, e-mail: anso@sfedu.ru,  ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1127-9612,
S.S. Mandzhieva², Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Chief Researcher, e-mail: msaglara@sfedu.ru, Scopus Author ID: 24481495200, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-3022-6000-2209,
¹ Saint-Petersburg State Agrarian University, 196607, Pushkin, Russia,
² Southern Federal University, 344006, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

M.S. Marichev, e-mail: m.s.marichev@yandex.ru.

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