Electrokinetic remediation of mercury-contaminated soils using iodine/iodide lixiviant

In-situ remediation of mercury-contaminated soils, by electrokinetic or other means, is difficult because of the low solubility of mercury and its compounds. In this research, enhanced electrokinetic remediation of HgS-contaminated soils using I-2/I- lixiviant was investigated using bench-scale electrokinetic cells. The thermodynamic conditions under which the lixiviant could be effective were determined by constructing a pE-pH diagram for the Hg-S-I system. Introduced near the cathode, the lixiviant migrated through the soil to the anode by electromigration. Mercury, released by the oxidation of HgS compounds by I-2, was complexed as HgI42-. The negative complex continued to electromigrate toward the anode. Up to 99% of the Hg present in laboratory-contaminated soils could be removed. Electrokinetic treatment of a field-contaminated soil, containing more organic matter than the laboratory-contaminated soil, occurred much slower. The critical issues in determining the efficacy of the process are the oxidation of reduced Hg by I-2 and I-3(-) and the transport of the resultant HgI42- complex.