Analytical Sciences


Abstract − Analytical Sciences, 36(5), 627 (2020).

Enhancement Effect of Humic Acid on Removal of Lead from Soil by Electrokinetic Process
Toko IWAMURA,* Yasuhiro AKEMOTO,* and Shunitz TANAKA*,**,***
*Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 5, Kita, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
**Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 5, Kita, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
***Hokkaido Center of Environmental Science and Technology (General Incorporated Foundation), Kita 24 Nishi 14, Kita, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0024, Japan
The environmentally friendly electrokinetic process was investigated using model contaminated soil with Pb and humic acid. Although humic acid has a negative charge, it moved toward the cathode side by electroosmotic flow. The removal efficiency of Pb from model contaminated soil was 48.0% under 1 V/cm of the potential gradient after 72 h of operation, while it improved to 72.6% with humic acid. These results indicated that humic acid has high potential for application in the environmentally friendly remediation of soil.