For the remediation of the contaminated soil with heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb, the reaction parameters were optimized. Tartaric acid (TA) and oxalic acid(OA) as a washing agent were evaluated as a function of concentration, reaction time, mixing ratio of washing agent and recovery of metals. The optimum washing conditions of TA and OA were in the ratio of 1 : 20 between soil and acid solution during 2 hr reaction under unbuffered pH solutions. At the optimized reaction conditions, the removal efficiencies were compared with that of 0.1 M HC1 and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid(EDTA). TA showed higher efficiency on the removal of Pb than that of EDTA, which established for the remediation of contaminated soil with Pb and Cd metals. The recovery of metal ions from washing solution was achieved by adding calcium hydroxide and sodium sulfide by forming the precipitation of metal hydroxide and metal sulfide. Optimum amounts of sodium sulfide and calcium hydroxide were Cd = 25g/ℓ, Cu = 5∼10g/ℓ and Pb = 5∼10g/ℓ for the washing solution of OA and 2∼5g/ℓ for the washing solution of TA, respectively. The amounts of Na2S and Ca(OH)2 for the tartaric acid was less than that of oxalic acid.

A study on the removal of Pb ion from Pb-contaminated soil was carried out, using ex-situ extraction process. Tartaric acid (TA) and iminodiacetic acid sodium salt (IDA) as a washing agent were evaluated as a function of concentration, reaction time, mixing ratio of washing agent and recycling of washing agent. TA showed a better extraction performance than IDA. The optimum washing condition of TA and IDA were in the ratio of 1 : 15 and 1 : 20 between soil and acid solution during 1 hr reaction. The total concentrations of Pb ion by TA and IDA at three repeated extraction, were 368.8 ppm and 267.5 ppm, respectively. The recovery of Pb ion from washing solution was achieved by adding calcium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, form the precipitation of lead hydroxide and lead sulfide, and optimum amounts of sodium sulfide and calcium hydroxide were 7 g/ℓ for the TA washing solution and 4 g/ℓ , 5 g/ℓ for the IDA washing solution, respectively. The efficiency of recycle for TA and IDA washing solution were 78.8%, 95.1% and 89.2%, 96.6%, at third extractions under Na2S and Ca(OH)2, respectively.

A study on the remediation of heavily Fe ion contaminated soils from abandoned iron mine was carried out, using ex-situ extraction process. Also, oxalic acid as a complex agent was evaluated as a function of concentration, reaction time and mixing ratio of washing agent in order to evaluate Fe removability of the soil contaminated from the abandoned iron mine. Oxalic acid showed a better extraction performance than 0.1N-HCI, i.e., the concentrations of Fe ion extracted from the abandoned mine for the former at uncontrolled pH and the latter were 1,750 ppm and 1,079 ppm, respectively. The optimum washing condition of oxalic acid was in the ratio of 1:5 and 1:10 between soil and acid solution during 1 hr reaction. The total concentrations of Fe ion by oxalic acid and EDTA at three repeated extraction, were 4,554 ppm and 864 ppm, respectively. The recovery of Fe ions from washing solution was achieved, forming hydroxide precipitation and metal sulfide under excess of calcium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. In addition, the amounted of sodium sulfide and calcium hydroxide for the optimal recovery of Fe were 15g/ℓ and 5g/ℓ from the oxalic acid complexes, respectively.