Activated low-grade phosphate rocks for simultaneously reducing the phosphorus loss and cadmium uptake by rice in paddy soil

Cadmium (Cd) pollution and phosphorus (P) leaching in paddy soils has raised the global concern. In this study, two kinds of the low grade phosphate rocks activated by the sodium lignosulfonate (SL) and humic acid (HA) were fabricated for soil Cd passivation and reduction of the soil P leaching simultaneously. The mechanisms of the Cd adsorption and passivation by the activated phosphate rocks (APRs) were investigated through the batch experiment and the indoor culture test ( i.e. , incubation and pot experiments) in the Cd-polluted paddy soil. The effects of the APRs on the potted rice growth, uptake of Cd by rice and P loss were also studied. In comparison with the superphosphate treatment, the cumulative P loss from SL- and HA-APRs were reduced by the 65.2% and 65.3%. In terms of the Cd passivation, the Cd adsorbed on the APRs was through the chemical ways ( i.e. , ligand exchange and the formation of internal complexes). The application of the APRs significantly decreased the soil exchangeable Cd by 48.9%–55.0%, while the Fe/Mn oxides-bound Cd and residual Cd increased significantly by 19.6%–20.3% and 50.7%–69.4%, respectively. Pot experiment also suggested that both the APRs treatments (SL- and HA-APRs) significantly diminished soil Cd accumulation in rice (by 72.7% and 62.8%) coupling with the significantly decreased P leaching. These results provide a sustainable way to explore a novel cost-effective, high-efficient and bi-functional mineral-based soil amendments for environmental remediation.