Abstract:
To investigate the influence of different soil amendments on the fractionation and passivation of lead (Pb) in acidic soils, a pot experiment was conducted using Pb-contaminated weak acid soil. Five amendments, namely lime powder, dolomite powder, oyster shell powder, peat soil, and silicate-calcium-magnesium-potassium fertilizer, were applied to the soil. The changes in the content of five Pb fractions (water-soluble, weakly acid-extractable, reducible, oxidizable, and residual) and soil pH were monitored 60 d after the application of amendments, and their passivation effects on Pb pollution were analysed. The dominant Pb fractions in the soil are reducible and residual Pb, followed by weak acid-extractable, oxidizable, and water-soluble Pb. At 60 d after the experiment, the application of lime powder, dolomite powder, oyster shell powder, peat soil, and silicate-calcium-magnesium-potassium fertilizer increases the soil pH by 1.81, 1.49, 1.17, 0.48, and 0.60 units, respectively (
P<0.05). The distribution coefficient of water-soluble Pb is decreased by 92.5%、92.5%、90.0%、57.5% and 37.5%, while weak acid-extractable Pb is decreased by 87.2%、73.7%、77.3%、26.7% and 44.9%, respectively. Oxidizable Pb is increased by 7.63%、7.90%、17.2%、40.1% and 31.9%, respectively (
P<0.05). Except for peat soil treatment, reducible Pb and residual Pb are all significantly increased in all treatments compared with the control. A parabolic relationship is found between soil pH and the passivation effect, with a correlation coefficient (r) of
0.9735 (
P<0.01). The amendments effectively reduce the bioavailable Pb fractions and increase the potentially available and unavailable Pb fractions in the soil. The passivation effect on Pb pollution is 87.2%, 73.6%, 77.3%, 26.7%, and 44.9% for lime powder, dolomite powder, oyster shell powder, peat soil, and silicate-calcium-magnesium-potassium fertilizer, respectively. The application of these five amendments at suitable application rates is an effective and feasible approach to the safe utilization and remediation of Pb-contaminated acid soils. It is worthy of demonstration and extension after further validation through additional field trials