Heavy Metal and Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE) Contamination of Soil

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal and other inorganic potentially toxic elements (PTE) contamination is one of the major problems for the soil environment. It is estimated that in the world, the sites contaminated by heavy metals and PTE are over 5 million, due to their non-biodegradability and persistence in the long term. Heavy metal and PTE contamination of the soil creates high risks for human health because these elements can enter the food chain, negatively affecting the quality of food. Moreover, long-term exposure to heavy metals also represents a relevant hazard to biodiversity. Contributions to heavy metals and PTE in the soils derive both from natural pedogenetic substrate, and from various anthropic sources such as extraction activities, industrial productions and waste disposal, thus agricultural and urban soils are also involved. Although these elements have been studied for a long time, the problem of heavy metals and PTE is still of the greatest relevance. In addition, further inorganic elements are becoming increasingly important, among these we must include the "critical elements" (tungsten, gallium, etc.) and the rare earths (REE), which in recent years are assuming great commercial and industrial importance for the production of essential high-tech components. Moreover, new concerns are emerging deriving from the effects of climatic changes. In those polluted areas where no remediation has been carried out, this kind of pollution may become a real time bomb.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect the most recent results of research on heavy metals and other inorganic elements in soils, with particular interest in the relation to their possible transfer in the food chain, the remediation strategies for contaminated soils, the waste disposal and potential recovery of these elements to reduce their environmental impacts.

Dr. Gianniantonio Petruzzelli
Dr. Meri Barbafieri
Dr. Marco Vocciante
Guest Editors

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