Applications of Electrokinetic Remediation inEnvironmental Restoration

Abstract

Electrokinetic remediation (EK) is well developed technique for removing pollutants and remediation of contaminated sites. EK has been utilized in mitigation of contamination with heavy metal (heavy metal mobilization) and hydrocarbon removal (degradation by bioremediation coupled with EK). Recently EK has been introduced in the field of desalination of saline water and remediation of sludge from wastewater. The past decade has seen a remarkable number of innovations in the exponentially growing field of remediation. The principles of the EK remediation in desalination of saline water and remediation of wastewater sludge are outlined and discussed. The contaminant removal mechanisms and the phenomena associated with EK are presented. Also, the challenges facing electrokinetic remediation are reviewed including the development of pH gradient between the electrodes, the corrosion of electrode materials and the power required for EK remediation. This manuscript covers a review on key aspects of application of EK in desalination, wastewater and bioremediation. The discussion includes, various types of EK, the contaminants and their removal mechanisms, challenges and opportunities, electrode materials, applications and theory with a focus on the use of solar power in EK applications. The use of solar panels to generate electricity for EK can result in reducing the cost of the treatment and minimizing the adverse environmental impact of using hydropower. Innovations and techniques used in controlling pH gradient in EK remediation are discussed. In addition, an attempt has been taken to project future advances in the field of EK and facilitate these advances by framing key unsolved problems in EK and potential research areas. This review covers the challenges facing EK application and the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed solutions. Also, evaluation of the current state-of-the-art of EK technology is provided.