Increase in Pb and Cd Adsorption by the Application of Peat in a Tropical Soil

Clayey soils have been used as liners at the base of waste deposits due to their geotechnical characteristics and capacity to adsorb metallic cations. However, a number of soils may not possess all required properties to ensure contaminant retention and therefore require additives. This study investigated whether the addition of commercial peat to a tropical residual soil (from the Ribeira Valley, Brazil) could improve its lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) adsorption capacity for its use as a liner in mining waste disposal. Pure soil and 10 and 20% soil-peat mixtures were compared. The application of peat increased the organic matter (OM) content (from 9 g kg−1 in soil to 58 g kg−1 in the 20% soil-peat mixture) and the cationic exchange capacity (CEC) (from 41.4 mmolc dm−3 in soil to 143.1 mmolc dm−3 in the 20% soil-peat mixture). Batch equilibrium test results revealed that the maximum Pb adsorption capacity of 623.6 μg g−1 also increased (to 1089.1 and 1270.0 μg g−1 in the 10 and 20% soil-peat mixtures, respectively). The soil Cd adsorption capacity of 261.2 μg g−1 increased to 304.0 and 631.3 μg g−1, respectively, with increasing peat proportions. The results suggest that peat can improve soil liner performance in waste deposits. Soil-peat mixtures are alternatives for minimizing potentially toxic metal contamination with available and low-cost materials.