Effects of organic acids on copper and cadmium desorption from contaminated soils

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of organic acids on Cd and Cu desorption from natural contaminated soils (NCS) with permanent contamination by metal smelters and from artificial contaminated soils (ACS) derived from an artificial amendment of Cd to three representative zonal soils in Central China. Results showed that the desorption of Cd in either NCS or ACS, with the increment of tartrate or citrate concentration in desorption solution, can be characterized as a valley-like curve. The presence of tartrate or citrate at a low concentration ( ≤ 0.5 mmol/l) inhibited Cd desorption from these two types of soils, whereas the presence of organic acids at high concentrations ( ≥ 2..