The Meza Valley, Slovenia, has been contaminated by Pb smelting, resulting in an epidemic of lead poisoning in childhood. The potential of remediation with EDTA soil washing to mitigate the risk from Pb poisoning was investigated by applying the Integrated Exposure Uptake Bio-Kinetic (IEUBK) model verified with data on actual Pb blood levels in children. The IEUBK model predicted that, after soil remediation, the number of locations at which the expected Pb blood level in children was higher than the stipulated 100 µg L-1 would decrease by 90, 38 and 91% in the towns of Mezica, Zerjav and Crna, respectively.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8180601
We applied EDTA washing technology featuring chelant and process water recovery for remediation of soil with 4037, 2527, and 26 mg kg-1 of Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively in a pilot scale. A high EDTA dose (120 mmol kg-1 of soil) removed 70%, 15%, and 58% of Pb, Zn, and Cd, respectively, and reduced human oral bioaccessibility of Pb below the limit of quantification and that of Zn and Cd 3.4 and 3.2 times. The contaminated and remediated soils were laid into two garden beds (4 x 1 x 0.15 m) and subjected to cultivation of ornamental plants: Impatiens walleriana, Tagetes erecta, Pelargonium × peltatum, and Verbena × hybrida and grasses: Dactylis glomerata, Lolium multiflorum, and Festuca pratensis. Plants grown on remediated soil demonstrated the same or greater biomass yield and reduced the uptake of Pb, Zn and Cd up to 10, 2.5 and 9.5 times, respectively, compared to plants cultivated on the original soil.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8090233
In a book chapter the achievements of our research groups in development of sustainable remediation method for metal-contaminated soils was presented. Novel remediation methods enables reagent and process-water recycling. The effect of remediation on soil quality, functioning and safe production of vegetables was demonstrated.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8275833