The use of sequential extraction to evaluate the remediation potential of heavy metals from contaminated harbour sediment

In this work sequential extraction is performed, with harbour sediment in order to evaluate the electrodialytic remediation potential for harbour sediments. Sequential extraction was performed on a sample of Norwegian harbour sediment; with the original sediment and after the sediment was treated with acid. The results from the sequential extraction show that 75% Zn and Ph and about 50% Cu are found in the most mobile phases in the original sediment and more than 90% Zu and Pb and 75% Cu are found in the most mobile phase in the sediment treated with acid. Electrodialytic remediation experiments were made. The method uses a low direct current as cleaning agent, removing the heavy metals towards the anode and cathode according to the charge of the heavy metals in the electric field. The electrodialytic experiments show that up to 50% Cu, 85% Zn and 60% Ph can be removed after 20 days. Thus, there is still a potential for a higher removal, with some changes in the experimental set-up and longer remediation time. The experiments show that the use of sequential extraction can be used to predict the electrodialytic remediation potential for harbour sediments.