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Soil Systems
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Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation
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Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation

A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 20285

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Edgar Pinto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Environmental Health, ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
2. LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Interests: soil chemistry; environmental chemistry; soil pollution; soil ecotoxicology; heavy metals; nanoparticles; glyphosate; modern analytical techniques; environmental risk assessment; phytoremediation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil pollution refers to the presence of a chemical or substance in the soil that under normal conditions would not be found and/or present in a higher-than-normal concentration that has adverse effects on any non-target organism. 

Although soil pollution can have both natural and anthropogenic causes, in most of the cases, it is associated with human activities. Chemicals used in or produced as byproducts of industrial activities, households, livestock and municipal waste (including wastewater), agrochemicals, and petroleum products are considered the main anthropogenic sources of soil pollution.

Soil pollution can severely degrade the most important ecosystem services provided by soil. The results of scientific research show that soil pollution can cross all borders and compromises the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Chemicals such as heavy metals, pesticides, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and pharmaceuticals can be present in soils at high concentrations and find their way into our food, water, and air, ultimately affecting human health.

Monitoring of soil quality can be a challenging task, and the main difficulty arises from the nature of the soil matrix itself. Although soil monitoring (and also control and remediation) is too often both costly and complex, the remediation of polluted soils is crucial, and research continues to develop novel, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and science-based remediation methods.

This Special Issue addresses new findings on the abovementioned topics. The following topics are especially welcome:

  • Distribution, transport, and fate of pollutants;
  • Impact of soil pollution on ecosystem structure and soil functions;
  • Environmental and health risk assessment;
  • Inorganic pollutants;
  • Organic pollutants;
  • Soil ecotoxicology;
  • Remediation and management of polluted soils.

Prof. Dr. Edgar Pinto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Soil Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • emerging pollutants
  • nanoparticles
  • microplastics and nanoplastics
  • modern techniques and methods for monitoring pollutants
  • bioavailability
  • ecological impacts
  • soil remediation technologies
  • methods for soil ecotoxicology testing
  • source identification of soil pollutants
  • bioindicators and biomarkers

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4336 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Restoration of Soil Functionality in PTE-Affected Environments: Biochar Impact on Soil Chemistry, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Plant Growth
by Matteo Garau, Paola Castaldi, Maria Vittoria Pinna, Stefania Diquattro, Alberto Cesarani, Nicoletta P. Mangia, Sotirios Vasileiadis and Giovanni Garau
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(4), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7040096 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1165
Abstract
Biochar can be useful for the functional recovery of soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), even if its effectiveness is variable and sometimes limited, and conflicting results have been recently reported. To shed some light on this regard, softwood-derived biochar was added [...] Read more.
Biochar can be useful for the functional recovery of soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), even if its effectiveness is variable and sometimes limited, and conflicting results have been recently reported. To shed some light on this regard, softwood-derived biochar was added at 2.5 (2.5-Bio) and 5.0% w/w (5.0-Bio) rates to an acidic (pH 5.74) soil contaminated by Cd (28 mg kg−1), Pb (10,625 mg kg−1), and Zn (3407 mg kg−1). Biochar addition increased soil pH, available P and CEC, and reduced labile Cd, Pb, and Zn (e.g., by 27, 37, and 46% in 5.0-Bio vs. the unamended soil). The addition of biochar did not change the number of total heterotrophic bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, while it reduced the number of Pseudomonas spp. and soil microbial biomass. Dehydrogenase activity was reduced in amended soils (e.g., by ~60 and 75% in 2.5- and 5.0-Bio, respectively), while in the same soils, urease increased by 48 and 78%. Approximately 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and the Biolog community-level physiological profile highlighted a significant biochar impact (especially at a 5% rate) on soil bacterial diversity. Tomato (but not triticale) yield increased in the amended soils, especially in 2.5-Bio. This biochar rate was also the most effective at reducing Cd and Pb concentrations in shoots. Overall, these results demonstrate that 2.5% (but not 5.0%) biochar can be useful to restore the soil chemical fertility of PTE-polluted soils with limited (or null) impact on soil microbial and biochemical parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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20 pages, 3407 KiB  
Article
Pollution Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals along Kitchener Drain Sediment, Nile Delta
by Yasser A. El-Amier, Giuliano Bonanomi and Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7040085 - 14 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1244
Abstract
Population expansion within agricultural lands applies pressure on natural resources, particularly water resources, and leads to contamination through different types of pollutants, such as heavy metals, that consequently alter the ecosystem and impact human health. In the present work, several heavy metals in [...] Read more.
Population expansion within agricultural lands applies pressure on natural resources, particularly water resources, and leads to contamination through different types of pollutants, such as heavy metals, that consequently alter the ecosystem and impact human health. In the present work, several heavy metals in sediment along the Kitchener drain were assessed using different soil quality and health indices; the Kitchener drain is one of the major drains in the Nile Delta. Sediments were collected from six stations along the drain from upstream to downstream. Soil physical and chemical properties were analyzed as well as four metal pollution indices and five ecological risk indices. Additionally, carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks for adults and children were evaluated. The data showed that the Kitchener drain is mainly contaminated with Cd, Pb, and Zn, where the concentrations decreased from upstream to downstream. The eco-toxicological indexes showed that Pb, Zn, and Cr were the most hazardous metals along the drain, mainly at upstream stations. The human health risk indices data revealed that the noncarcinogenic risk of the studied metals can be ordered as follows: Co > Cr > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cd > Cu > Zn for adults, while for children it was Cr > Mn > Co > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cu > Zn. The carcinogenic risk data showed that heavy metals ranged from low to medium in all sites, except for Pb and Zn, which have high carcinogenic risks. The present study showed more contamination upstream compared to downstream which can be attributed to urbanization and human activity, as shown from the land use/landcover map. This highlighted that the major drains inside the Nile Delta suffer from different anthropogenic activities that should be taken into consideration by researchers, scientists, and policymakers. Also, the source of heavy metal pollution, particularly upstream, should be controlled or treated before discharge into the drain. On the other side, downstream (toward the Mediterranean Sea), the heavy metals could affect the trophic levels of the marine ecosystem on the Mediterranean Sea which should be taken into consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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14 pages, 855 KiB  
Article
Biodegradation of Malathion in Amended Soil by Indigenous Novel Bacterial Consortia and Analysis of Degradation Pathway
by Mohd Ashraf Dar and Garima Kaushik
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7040081 - 26 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1336
Abstract
The capabilities of pure bacterial strains and their consortia isolated from agricultural soil were evaluated during a bioremediation process of the organophosphate pesticide malathion. The pure bacterial strains efficiently degraded 50.16–68.47% of the pesticide within 15 days of incubation, and metabolites were observed [...] Read more.
The capabilities of pure bacterial strains and their consortia isolated from agricultural soil were evaluated during a bioremediation process of the organophosphate pesticide malathion. The pure bacterial strains efficiently degraded 50.16–68.47% of the pesticide within 15 days of incubation, and metabolites were observed to accumulate in the soil. The consortia of three bacterial species [Micrococcus aloeverae (MAGK3) + Bacillus cereus (AGB3) + Bacillus paramycoides (AGM5)] degraded the malathion more effectively, and complete malathion removal was observed by the 15th day in soils inoculated with that consortium. In contrast, the combined activity of any two of these strains was lower than the mixed consortium of all of the strains. Individual mixed consortia of Micrococcus aloeverae (MAGK3) + Bacillus cereus (AGB3); Micrococcus aloeverae (MAGK3) + Bacillus paramycoides (AGM5); and Bacillus cereus (AGB3) + Bacillus paramycoides (AGM5) caused 76.58%, 70.95%, and 88.61% malathion degradation in soil, respectively. Several intermediate metabolites like malaoxon, malathion monocarboxylic acid, diethyl fumarate, and trimethyl thiophosphate were found to accumulate and be successively degraded during the bioremediation process via GC–MS detection. Thus, inoculating with a highly potent bacterial consortium isolated from in situ soil may result in the most effective pesticide degradation to significantly relieve soils from pesticide residues, and could be considered a prospective approach for the degradation and detoxification of environments contaminated with malathion and other organophosphate pesticides. This study reports the use of a mixed culture of Indigenous bacterial species for successful malathion degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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11 pages, 689 KiB  
Article
Microplastic Extraction from Agricultural Soils Using Canola Oil and Unsaturated Sodium Chloride Solution and Evaluation by Incineration Method
by Andrei Kononov, Motoya Hishida, Kazuki Suzuki and Naoki Harada
Soil Syst. 2022, 6(2), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems6020054 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3832
Abstract
Environmental pollution by microplastics (MPs) has become a global problem, but little is known about MPs in soils. This is because MP extraction methods from soils have not yet been standardized. In this study, we tried to establish a simple and economical method [...] Read more.
Environmental pollution by microplastics (MPs) has become a global problem, but little is known about MPs in soils. This is because MP extraction methods from soils have not yet been standardized. In this study, we tried to establish a simple and economical method to extract soil MPs using the buoyancy of canola oil and the density separation process using sodium chloride (NaCl). In addition, the incineration method was adapted to evaluate the effectiveness of extraction methods precisely. First, the ability and suitability of seven different oils to extract MP from soil were investigated and canola oil was selected. Then, the spiking and recovery test was performed with canola oil and NaCl solution for low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinylchloride (PVC) as follows: (1) soil and MP mixtures were prepared, (2) 5 g L−1 NaCl and canola oil were added and shaken thoroughly, (3) the oil phase containing MPs were separated after sedimentation, (4) the extracted MPs were rinsed with 99.5% ethanol, and (5) the organic adherents to the extracted MPs were digested with hydrogen peroxide. After drying and incineration, the substantial recovery rates were calculated. In the spiking and recovery test for MP particles (<1 mm) from five typical Japanese agricultural soils, the recoveries of LDPE, PP, and PVC were 95.2–98.3%, 95.2–98.7%, and 76.0–80.5%, respectively, higher than those obtained by the density separation using saturated NaCl solution. In conclusion, the method is effective for extracting MPs, especially LDPE and PP, from soils and is less sensitive to soil type, texture, and physicochemical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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Review

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26 pages, 2691 KiB  
Review
Identification of Soil Arsenic Contamination in Rice Paddy Field Based on Hyperspectral Reflectance Approach
by Arnab Saha, Bhaskar Sen Gupta, Sandhya Patidar and Nadia Martínez-Villegas
Soil Syst. 2022, 6(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems6010030 - 19 Mar 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4874
Abstract
Toxic heavy metals in soil negatively impact soil’s physical, biological, and chemical characteristics, and also human wellbeing. The traditional approach of chemical analysis procedures for assessing soil toxicant element concentration is time-consuming and expensive. Due to accessibility, reliability, and rapidity at a high [...] Read more.
Toxic heavy metals in soil negatively impact soil’s physical, biological, and chemical characteristics, and also human wellbeing. The traditional approach of chemical analysis procedures for assessing soil toxicant element concentration is time-consuming and expensive. Due to accessibility, reliability, and rapidity at a high temporal and spatial resolution, hyperspectral remote sensing within the Vis-NIR region is an indispensable and widely used approach in today’s world for monitoring broad regions and controlling soil arsenic (As) pollution in agricultural land. This study investigates the effectiveness of hyperspectral reflectance approaches in different regions for assessing soil As pollutants, as well as a basic review of space-borne earth observation hyperspectral sensors. Multivariate and various regression models were developed to avoid collinearity and improve prediction capabilities using spectral bands with the perfect correlation coefficients to access the soil As contamination in previous studies. This review highlights some of the most significant factors to consider when developing a remote sensing approach for soil As contamination in the future, as well as the potential limits of employing spectroscopy data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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21 pages, 419 KiB  
Review
Phytoremediation of Cadmium Polluted Soils: Current Status and Approaches for Enhancing
by Mirel Subašić, Dunja Šamec, Alisa Selović and Erna Karalija
Soil Syst. 2022, 6(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems6010003 - 4 Jan 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5452
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal present in atmosphere, rocks, sediments, and soils without a known role in plants. It is relatively mobile and can easily enter from soil into groundwater and contaminate the food chain. Its presence in food in excess amounts [...] Read more.
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal present in atmosphere, rocks, sediments, and soils without a known role in plants. It is relatively mobile and can easily enter from soil into groundwater and contaminate the food chain. Its presence in food in excess amounts may cause severe conditions in humans, therefore prevention of cadmium entering the food chain and its removal from contaminated soils are important steps in preserving public health. In the last several years, several approaches for Cd remediation have been proposed, such as the use of soil amendments or biological systems for reduction of Cd contamination. One of the approaches is phytoremediation, which involves the use of plants for soil clean-up. In this review we summarized current data on the use of different plants in phytoremediation of Cd as well as information about different approaches which have been used to enhance phytoremediation. This includes data on the increasing metal bioavailability in the soil, plant biomass, and plant accumulation capacity as well as seed priming as a promising novel approach for phytoremediation enhancing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation)
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