Diffusion of potentially toxic elements from treated wood in soil

The planar source diffusion method was used to evaluate the leaching of As, Cu, and Cr ions from CCA-treated wood into soils. Treated pine and eucalyptus wood was investigated in clayey and sandy soils, whose diffusion coefficients of the order of 10−12 m2 s−1 were higher for Cr(VI), followed by As(V) and Cu(II) for both soils. In addition, a pilot experiment in plastic pots simulated multidirectional diffusion in the soil by CCA from wood. The mobility was higher for Cu(II), followed by Cr(III/VI) and As(V). An important finding was the pronounced leaching of CCA in clayey soils, which emphasizes the role of environmental features in the dynamics and mobility of contaminants. This study stands out for its emphasis on the potential for CCA- treated wood to pollute and the fundamental role of different conditions. The results allow us to warn about the environmental pollution of PTE in soils with CCA-treated wood constructions. Environmental regulations are expected to encourage the industry to make wood treatment more environmentally friendly.