Research and field experiences on electrokinetic remediation in South Korea

As public concerns regarding soil contamination and the related market size have grown in Korea, various soil remediation technologies have been developed. Electrokinetic (EK) remediation has emerged as a promising and effective technology that can be used to remove both organic and inorganic pollutants from soil. Since 1996, when the first EK remediation experiment was conducted in Korea for soil contaminated with heavy metals, many researchers have investigated different EK system configurations or have modified EK remediation methods to suit particular types of soils to achieve enhanced performance. This paper provides an overview accomplishments and the current status of EK remediation technologies in Korea. It discusses current lab-scale experiments, pilot-scale experiments, field applications, and other ongoing research and development projects. Moreover, prospective topics for future research in EK remediation are also suggested.

► The current status of Electrokinetic remediation (EK) technologies in Korea was overviewed. Lab-/pilot-scale studies and field applications of EK remediation which worked or is ongoing in Korea were categorized and discussed. Further EK researches to be critical in the future were suggested. EK researches would focus not only on the system's performance, but on its feasibility to be scale-up, sustainability, etc.