Abstract:Effect of addition of complex, organic and inorganic acid (EDTA, lactic acid, citric acid and nitric acid) in catholyte on the electrokinetic remediation (EK) of an electroplating contaminated soil with heavy metals was studied in laboratory-scale experiments. The addition of enhancement agents significantly enhanced the migration and removal of Cu, Pb, Ni and Cr6+ in soil and EK process favored the heavy metals transferring into exchangeable species. The addition of lactic acid in the catholyte resulted in the highest Cu removal as high as 78.7%. Adding EDTA in the anolyte/catholyte during the electrokinetic treatment, the removal efficiency of heavy metals was about 30% and most of heavy metals were accumulated in the soil column section near the cathode. Citric acid was effective for the removal of Cu, Ni and Cr6+ from soil and in which the removal rates were 68.5%, 53.3% and 52.9%, respectively. Nitrate was the most effective reagent for Cr6+ with a removal rate of 93.3%.