Cost Estimation of Electrokinetic Soil Remediation for Removal of Six Toxic Metals from Contaminated Soil

The purpose of the study is to estimate the operating cost of the electrokinetic methods in the removal of toxic metals (TMs) from granite mine tailing soil with the help of the proposed cost estimation models. The conventional electrokinetic technologies have not considered the cost estimation in the removal of TMs from polluted soils. In this study, we incorporated the chelates such as citric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) enhanced electrokinetic soil remediation process followed by a cost estimation of the processes. Our study proposed the cost estimation models to determine the operating cost of the conventional and enhanced electrokinetic treatment processes, specifically for the removal of six TMs such as chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) from granite mine tailing soil. We investigated the chelating enhanced electrokinetic removal of TMs about six times more than the conventional process for 20 days of operation. Furthermore, we estimated that the operating cost of the conventional and enhanced electrokinetic processes was about US$ 110 to US$ 508 per cubic meter of treated soil. The total operating cost was about US$ 110 to US$ 1006 per cubic meter of treated soil including enhancers cost. We believe the chelating enhanced electrokinetic treatment of soil was more effective than conventional treatment for removal of TMs from contaminated soil.