Contaminated Soils: Remedies, Hurdles, and Perspectives

One of the main environmental degradation factors that disturbs the soil composition is soil contamination. Depending on the type of contaminant and the level of exposure, soil contamination can have adverse effects on health. The potential uses of land might be severely constrained due to contamination. Activities such as manufacturing, chemical dumping, urban expansion, sewage disposal, etc., has resulted in build-up of contaminants, toxic compounds, radioactive materials, salts, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), hydrocarbons, and heavy metals such as Zn, Hg, As, and Cr. The long-term implications of contamination include liver damage, cancer, leukemia, reproductive disorders, and central nervous system disorders. The properties of the site, quantity of the contaminants to be eliminated, the kind of contaminants, and the eventual use of the decontaminated medium all play a key role in deciding the best remediation strategy. Immobilization, isolation, toxicity reduction, physical separation, and extraction must be included in the plan of remedies. Possibilities include the use of genetically engineered strains for radioactive waste bioremediation, decontamination, and later recovery of important metals whereby microorganisms would degrade organic contaminants while simultaneously utilizing the chemicals for their own development and reproduction. The capability of plants to concentrate chemicals from the environment and metabolize various chemicals in their tissues makes phytoremediation a feasible plant-based approach. It describes a plant’s innate ability to absorb, degrade, or eliminate contaminants present in the soil. Phytoremediation is utilized as a cost-effective substitute for bioremediation. This chapter discusses the evolving techniques for soil remediation, which include physical, chemical, and biological treatments, that could provide a technological remedy for the majority of soil contamination.