Critical Review of Electro-kinetic Remediation of Contaminated Soils and Sediments: Mechanisms, Performances and Technologies

Abstract Remediation of contaminated soil and sediment is important for improving the eco-environmental quality. Electro-kinetic remediation (EKR) an environmentally friendly technology to migrate remove pollutants from matrix. This paper analyses mechanism performance EKR heavy metals, organic pollutants, compound pollutants. Moreover, effect optimizing individual through pre-treatment (adding acid/oxidant/co-solvent/surfactant, stirring, heating, etc.), electrode optimization (exchange electrode, anode approximation, matrix, applying multi-technology combination (electro-kinetic permeable reaction barrier/Fenton/ion, exchange membrane/ultrasonic/electrolyte enhancement, etc.) was evaluated. Factors including incomplete separation variation in physico-chemical properties microstructure soil/sediment, difficulties situ practice have restrained field application EKR. To solve above technical challenge, integrated based on pollutant separation, followed by separated contaminant treatment, subsequent valuable elements recovery proposed.