Variation in properties of the sediment following electrokinetic treatments

ABSTRACTMany studies have reported variation in properties of the sediment within electrokinetic treatments (EKTs). However, we aim to reveal the variation in properties of the sediment following EKTs through laboratory experiments. We collected sewage-derived sediment from a littoral region, and passed it through a 2-mm sieve. We used a potentiostat to cause electrical current in EKT. We measured the sediment properties such as pH, redox potential (ORP), and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) concentration at the end of EKT and at 30 days following EKT. Results showed decreases in pH, increases in ORP, and decreases in H2S concentration at the end of EKT. Compared with the sediment without EKT, the decrease in ORP for the sediment within EKT was higher at 30 days following EKT. These suggest that anaerobic digestion of organic compounds occurs in the sediment following EKT, of which the oxidants produced by EKT serve as electron acceptors and organic compounds serve as electron donors. Furthermore, we found that EK...