Enhanced remediation of heavy metals contaminated soils with EK-PRB using β-CD/hydrothermal biochar by waste cotton as reactive barrier

Heavy metals in the soil are major global environmental problems. Waste cotton was used to synthesize a novel β-CD/hydrothermal biochar (KCB), which is a low-cost and environment-friendly adsorbent for heavy metal soil remediation. KCB were used as reactive materials of electrokinetic-permeable reactive barrier (EK-PRB) to explore the removal characteristics of heavy metals. FTIR and XPS analysis revealed that KCB contained large numbers of surface functional groups. Adsorption of KCB for Pb2+ and Cd2+ reached 50.44 mg g−1 and 33.77 mg g−1, respectively. Metal ions in contaminated soil were removed by reactive barrier through electromigration, electrodialysis and electrophoresis, the removal efficiency of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in soil reached 92.87% and 86.19%. This finding proves that KCB/EK-PRB can be used as a cheap and green process to effectively remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals.