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Change of heavy metal speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and ecological risk during potassium ferrate treatment of waste-activated sludge

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Abstract

The effects of potassium ferrate treatment on the heavy metal concentrations, speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and environmental risk in waste-activated sludge (WAS) at various dosages of potassium ferrate and different treatment times were investigated. Results showed that the total concentrations of all metals (except Cd) were decreased slightly after treatment and the order of metal concentrations in WAS and treated waste-activated sludge (TWAS) was Mg > Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd. Most heavy metals in WAS remained in TWAS after potassium ferrate treatment with metal residual rates over 67.8% in TWAS. The distribution of metal speciation in WAS was affected by potassium ferrate treatment. The bioavailability and the mobility of heavy metals (except Mg) in TWAS were mitigated, compared to those in WAS. Meanwhile, the environmental risk of heavy metals (except Pb and Cu) was alleviated after potassium ferrate treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Management (2014ZX07201012), the State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology (No. 2014DX03), and the Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Heilongjiang Province (JC201303).

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  1. Ming Yu and Jian Zhang are contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China

    Ming Yu, Jian Zhang & Yu Tian

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  1. Ming Yu
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  2. Jian Zhang
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  3. Yu Tian
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Correspondence to Yu Tian.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Yu, M., Zhang, J. & Tian, Y. Change of heavy metal speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and ecological risk during potassium ferrate treatment of waste-activated sludge. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 13569–13578 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1511-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1511-7

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