Abstract
A comparative cost-effectiveness performance evaluation of graphite, glassy carbon, irrudium coated titanium and titanium anodes during electro-kinetic removal (EKR) of Pb(II) ions from contaminated clay soil was investigated. The influences of catholyte concentration (0.2-1N), spacing between electrodes (15-25 cm), treatment time (1-3 weeks) and distance from anode(5-15 cm) on Pb (II) residual concentration were evaluated and optimized using Response Surface Methodology. The relative contribution of the operating conditions follows the order; treatment time > distance from anode > electrode spacing > catholyte concentration. All the anodes yielded high Pb(II) removal with graphite exhibiting slower performance. The electro-osmotic volumes collected at the catholyte compartments suggest electro-osmosis as dominant removal mechanism while Ir-coated titanium exerted the highest electroosmotic mobility coefficients of 0.0054 cm
3
s
-1
, 4.98 x 10
-5
cm
2
V
-1
s
-1
and 0.00208 cm
2
A
-1
s
-1
. The least energy expenditure of $46.21per kWh, $0.13 per kWhm
-3
and $49.74 per kWh.m
-3
mg
-1
was attributed to graphite, followed by titanium and then Ir-coated titanium. The most exorbitant glassy carbon considerably exhibited the least performance with $2134.64 per kWh, $6.15 per kWhm
-3
and $2094.8 per kWh.m
-3
mg
-1
. This study underscores the relevance of taking anodic materials cost into considerations for better evaluation of EKR effectiveness for remediation of heavy metals contaminated-soils.