The Application Effect of Geosynthetic Membrane Containing Nanoparticles in Electrokinetic Removal of Copper from the Soil

The electrokinetic method is classified as one of the physical and chemical methods of purification of contaminated soils. This is one of the most widely used methods for purifying soil and sludge. To improve purification by electrokinetic method, a geotextile membrane was fabricated by the chemical polymerization method based on Pyyrole polymer and copper oxide nanoparticles. The membrane was placed in direct contact with the copper electrode in the electric field.  To evaluate the effect of membrane in the electrokinetic removal process, a physical model was designed and filled with copper contaminated kaolinite with concentration of 200 mg/kg. For desorption of copper, 0.01 M potassium chloride was used as anolyte and catholyte solutions. 0.1 M hydrochloric acid was injected into the catholyte chamber at a constant rate of 0.6 mL/h. According to the results, Employing the fabricated membrane in an electric field accelerated the removal of copper by the electrokinetic process. In spite of reducing the outflow (in the test employing the fabricated membrane), the residual copper concentration in the outflow was six times of the residual copper in the control test. The removal efficiency of copper adjacent cathode electrode was increased from 29.5% in the control test to 38% in the test employing the fabricated membrane, which indicates the ability of fabricated membrane in electrokinetic purification. The amount of copper accumulation in the test employing the fabricated membrane was reduced adjacent anode electrode and reached 29% compared to the control test.