In-situ Pb(2+) remediation using nano iron particles

Originally, application of nano zero valent iron (nZVI) particles for the removal of lead (Pb(2+)) in porous media was studied. At first, stabilized nZVI (S-nZVI) was prepared and characterized, then used in batch and continuous systems. Based on the batch experiments, corresponding reaction kinetics well fitted with the pseudo-first-order adsorption model, and reaction rate ranged from 0.01 to 0.04 g/mg/min depend on solution pH and the molar ratio between Fe and Pb. In batch tests, optimal condition with more than 90% removal efficiency at 60 min was observed at a pH range of 4 to 6 and Fe/Pb ratio more than 2.5. Continuous experiments exposed that Pb(2+) remediation was as well influenced by seepage velocity, grain size, and type of porous media. The maximum Pb(2+) removal efficiency in batch and bench-scale systems were 97% and 81%, correspondingly. The results have shown the ability of S-nZVI to use in permeable reactive barriers, as an efficient adsorbent for Pb(2+), because of its excellent stability, high reducing power, and a large surface area. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40201-015-0157-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.