Electro-mediation is a promising technique that is generating increasing interest, applicable in situ for the decontamination of soils, or low permeability sediments, which can be polluted by a wide variety of organic or inorganic substances, such as heavy metals, or molecules. Based on aromatic nuclei potentially dangerous for humans and the environnement. It is based on the galvanostatic application of a low density electric current in a contaminated soil or sediment matrix. [1,2,3]

In this work, the electrokinetic remediation phenomenon was tested to remove lead ions

([Pb²⁺] = 200 mg / kg) from an artificial soil. The experimental study was performed in a Plexiglas cell (volume = 1987.5 cm³), consisting of three compartments: anodic, cathodic, and the central compartment which containing the specimen, separated by a tissue. Sulfuric acid H₂SO₄ (0.1N) was used as a study medium. The imposed current is 100 mA, for duration of 240 hours (10 days). The results obtained showed a substantial decrease in the concentration of Pb^{2 +} ions in the soil, with an elimination rate of ~ 42%.

References

[1] M.T. Ammami, Contribution í  l'étude des processus électrocinétiques appliqués aux sédiments de dragage (2013).

[2] Y. B. Acar, R. J. Galeb, A. N. Alshawabkeh,R. E. Marks, W. Puppala, M. Brickad, R. Parkere,Journal of Hazardous Materials 40 (1995) 117- I37.

[3] S. Amrate, A.Ait-Idir, D.E. Akretche1, The European Journal of Mineral Processing and Environmental Protection,Vol.5, No.2, 1303-0868, 2005, pp. 105-118