| Popis: |
Soil contamination is a major concern across the globe because it poses a severe threat to human and environmental health. Organisms that come into direct or indirect contact with contaminated soil or its associated groundwater may be negatively impacted. Soil contamination is also a problem because it reduces the quality and productivity of natural and agricultural ecosystems. Although soil contamination can be caused by natural processes and events, most contamination is the result of anthropogenic activities. Sites may be contaminated with a variety of contaminants, which are grouped into two categories: inorganic and organic. Inorganic contaminants include trace elements and radionuclides, whereas organic contaminants include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons, and pesticides. Trace elements and PAHS are the most abundant and widespread contaminants. When sites are found to be contaminated, a wide variety of remediation strategies exists to address the problem. This article discusses some of the more common technologies used to treat contaminated soils. Keywords: contaminant; inorganic contaminants; organic contaminants; phytoremediation; radionuclides; remediation; soil vapor extraction; stabilization/solidification; thermal treatment; trace elements |
