Strength and leaching behavior of CaO- and MgO-treated Cd-contaminated soils subjected to partial and full carbonation

Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils may pose a significant threat on human health. They are often treated with quick lime (CaO) and reactive magnesia (MgO), but these treatments often result in low strength. Hence, in this study, partial and full carbonation are used to enhance the stabilization/solidification of CaO- and MgO-treated Cd-contaminated soils, aiming to achieve CO₂ sequestration, strength improvement, and Cd immobilization. Performance of treated contaminated soils is evaluated through unconfined compressive strength (UCS), leaching, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) tests. The results indicate that carbonation significantly enhances the UCS of both CaO- and MgO-treated Cd-contaminated soils. After carbonation, MgO-treated soils exhibit higher UCS than CaO-treated soils. Partial and full carbonation yield similar UCS in CaO-treated soils, while full carbonation results in higher UCS in MgO-treated soils. For CaO-treated soils, partial carbonation keeps Cd leachability below the 1 mg/kg limit, but full carbonation increases it beyond this limit. In contrast, fully carbonated MgO-treated soils maintain Cd leachability below the limit, though partial carbonation leads to higher leachability. Formation of Ca and Mg carbonates contributes to the strength improvement of soils. Cd(OH)₂ and its complex, as well as CdCO₃ exist in partially and fully carbonated soils, lowering leached Cd concentration. Overall, partial carbonation is better for CaO-treated soils, while full carbonation is preferable for MgO-treated soils.