In-situ stabilization of soil contaminated with heavy metals as an alternative to ex-situ treatment has gaining great attention owing to the concern on ecosystem disturbance and the problem of equipment accessibility. This study was conducted to investigate the performance of three commercial stabilizing agents for arsenic (As) in soil located in former smelter site in Republic of Korea and their effects on the mitigation of human health risks. In order to calculate bioaccessibility of arsenic in soil through oral ingestion, Solubility Bioavailability Research Consortium (SBRC) extraction method was employed. In stabilizing agents-amended soils, SBRC extractable As concentrations significantly decreased compared to those of original soils. Results of sequential extraction showed that readily extractable fractions of As in soil (i.e., sum of SO4- and PO4-extractable As in soil) converted into non-readily extractable fractions (i.e., As sorbed on amorphous and crystalline iron/aluminum oxides) by injecting stabilizing agents. Such changes in the As chemical species in soil seemed to result in the alteration of SBRC extractable As concentration. Consequently, the human health risk through oral ingestion of soil contaminated with As decreased. Nevertheless, the carcinogenicity standard (10-5) was still unsatisfactory and it is thus necessary to apply additional risk mitigation techniques. Also, the phenomenon that As is concentrated in a stabilizing agent (fine particle) was observed and its impact on human health risk will be discussed.

Changes in human health risk of arsenic-contaminated soil in former smelter site by injecting stabilization agents

254th National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.