Pedosphere (5): 809--819, 2025
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2025 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Sustainable remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils: Capture by Fe3O4/polyaniline nanocomposites and removal by magnetic separation |
Xiaochen CHEN1 , Fuxiang ZHANG1, Yijia HUANG1,2, Qian GUAN1, Jianying YU1,3, Jianyu ZHANG4, Ao WANG1, Yu LIU1, Xiaoyu CUI5, Xianhua LIU5, Junyu ZHU1, Jie CHEN6 |
1 Innovation Center for Soil Remediation and Restoration Technologies, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China)
2 School of Mathematics and Statistics, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000 (China)
3 The Second Geological Exploration Institute, China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, Fuzhou 350108 (China)
4 Jiangsu Longchang Chemical Co., Ltd., Rugao 226532 (China)
5 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350 (China)
6 College of Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China) |
| Corresponding Author:Xiaochen CHEN |
| ABSTRACT |
| Cadmium (Cd) contamination of soil is a global environmental issue. Traditional remediation techniques such as immobilization, leaching, and phytoextraction have numerous shortcomings, which has led to growing interest in the development of low-cost, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly agents for removing Cd from soil. In this study, four magnetite (Fe3O4)/polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites, Fe3O4(1.0)/PANI, Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI, Fe3O4(2.0)/PANI, and Fe3O4(2.5)/PANI, were developed using 4 mL aniline monomer and 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 g Fe3O4, respectively, and used as remediation agents with magnetic separation and regeneration capabilities. The Cd adsorption isotherms showed a better fit to the Langmuir model, with Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI exhibiting the highest Cd adsorption capacity of 47.62 mg g-1 at 25 ℃. Then, Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI was used to remediate four Cd-contaminated soils typical in China (black, brown, cinnamon, and red), all with a Cd content of 180 mg kg-1 after spiking. The results showed that the total Cd removal efficiency was satisfactory at 25.25%-38.91% and the exchangeable Cd removal efficiency was 36.03% on average. In addition, soil basic properties did not show significant changes after remediation. Regarding the regeneration performance, a higher total Cd removal efficiency (27.89%-44.96%) was achieved after the first regeneration cycle of Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI. After two regeneration cycles, Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI exhibited decreased total Cd removal efficiency compared to after the first regeneration, but its efficiency remained above 95% of or higher than those of virgin Fe3O4(1.5)/PANI. The synthetic process of Fe3O4/PANI was simple and cost-effective, and Fe3O4/PANI exhibited a high Cd removal efficiency with easy recovery and recyclability. Therefore, Fe3O4/PANI is a promising solution for the sustainable and efficient remediation of Cd-contaminated soils, especially for the reclamation of highly contaminated development land. |
| Key Words: adsorption isotherm,heavy metal pollution,magnetite,nanocomposite recyclability,nanoparticle,regeneration,soil contamination,soil remediation |
| Citation: Chen X C, Zhang F X, Huang Y J, Guan Q, Yu J Y, Zhang J Y, Wang A, Liu Y, Cui X Y, Liu X H, Zhu J Y, Chen J. 2025. Sustainable remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils: Capture by Fe3O4/polyaniline nanocomposites and removal by magnetic separation. Pedosphere. 35(5):809-819. |
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