Title: Cadmium adsorption-desorption of brown soil with freeze-thaw cycles in northeast China

Authors: Xiuli Dang; Yulong Zhang; Na Yu; Yuling Zhang

Addresses: National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilisation of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China ' National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilisation of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China ' National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilisation of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China ' National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilisation of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China

Abstract: Adsorption-desorption characteristics of cadmium by brown soil, a typical soil in north-eastern China, were studied under different freeze-thaw cycles by using equilibrium adsorption isotherms. Freeze-thaw cycles were represented by temperatures of -30°C and 30°C, respectively. Both freezing and thawing conditions were implemented for three days each and the number of freeze-thaw cycles examined was zero, one, three and six. The results showed that the amount of adsorbed cadmium for one, three and six freeze-thaw cycles was 84, 74 and 70%, respectively, compared to soil experiencing no freeze-thaw cycles. About 33.1-50.0% of adsorbed Cd was desorbed from the soil without freeze-thaw cycles, while 32.1-73.0% of adsorbed Cd was desorbed from the freeze-thaw soil at the same initial concentration of Cd; the more the frequency of freeze-thaw, the higher the Cd desorbed.

Keywords: cadmium; adsorption; desorption; freeze-thaw cycles; brown soil; China; thawing conditions; freezing conditions; environmental pollution; soil contamination.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2012.049770

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2012 Vol.49 No.1/2, pp.89 - 99

Received: 11 Feb 2012
Accepted: 13 Jul 2012
Published online: 19 Nov 2014 *

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