Soil can be defined as the space time continuum forming the upper part of the earth’s crust. It is a natural body comprised of solid, liquid and gases that occur on the land surface. Joffe (1949) defined soil as a natural body differentiated into horizons of mineral and organic constituents usually unconsolidated of variable depth, which differs from the parent material below in morphology, physical properties and constitution, chemical properties and composition, and biological characteristics. Soil is one of the most fundamental resources for sustainability and survival. It is one of the most important assets to protect and pass on to future generations. Soil contamination due to anthropogenic and natural sources is increasing day by day because of increasing population, industrialization, and urbanization. Soil is the receptor of many contaminants from various sources. Contamination decreases the quality of the soil and adversely affects soil organisms. For this study, soil samples from thirteen locations contaminated from agricultural, industrial, and organic sources spread over the districts of Alappuzha and Kottayam in Kerala in the south west coast area of India were analyzed to study the changes in soil characteristics and its influence on soil microbial communities and their activities.

A major revision of the classic manual from ASM. This is the long awaited revision of ASM′s extremely popular title, Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology (1981). The goal of the book remains to provide a compact but thorough compendium of reliable methods of working with many different kinds of bacteria in laboratory settings. New to this edition is the recognition of the dramatic role of molecular biological techniques and their impact on bacteriology.

For this third volume of the series Soil Biology, internationally renowned scientists shed light on the significant roles of microbes in soil. Key topics covered include: bioerosion, humification, mineralization and soil aggregation; Interactions in the mycorrhizosphere; microbes and plant nutrient cycling; Microbes in soil surface or toxic metal polluted soils; Use of marker genes and isotopes in soil microbiology, and many more.

This book demonstrates the measurement, monitoring and mapping of environmental contaminants in soil & sediment, surface & groundwater and atmosphere. This book explores state-of-art techniques based on methodological and modeling in modern geospatial techniques specifically focusing on the recent trends in data mining techniques and robust modeling. It also presents modifications of and improvements to existing control technologies for remediation of environmental contaminants. In addition, it includes three separate sections on contaminants, risk assessment and remediation of different existing and emerging pollutants. It covers major topics such as: Radioactive Wastes, Solid and Hazardous Wastes, Heavy Metal Contaminants, Arsenic Contaminants, Microplastic Pollution, Microbiology of Soil and Sediments, Soil Salinity and Sodicity, Aquatic Ecotoxicity Assessment, Fluoride Contamination, Hydrochemistry, Geochemistry, Indoor Pollution and Human Health aspects. The content of this book will be of interest to researchers, professionals, and policymakers whose work involves environmental contaminants and related solutions.

Cadmium Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants: From Physiology to Remediation presents a single research resource on the latest in cadmium toxicity and tolerance in plants. The book covers many important areas, including means of Cd reduction, from plant adaptation, including antioxidant defense, active excretion and chelation, to phytoextraction, rhizo filtration, phytodegradation, and much more. In addition, it explores important insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Cd uptake and transport and presents options for improving resistance to Cd stresses. It will be ideal for both researchers and students working on cadmium pollution, plant responses and related fields of environmental contamination and toxicology. - Includes all aspects of cadmium toxicity and tolerance in plants - Provides a comprehensive overview of advances in cadmium toxicity, tolerance and adaptation in plants - Elaborates on the advancement of eco-friendly techniques for cadmium remediation from soil and water - Provides real-world, application focused techniques

The soil is being contaminated continuously by a large number of pollutants. Among them, heavy metals are an exclusive group of toxicants because they are stable and difficult to disseminate into non-toxic forms. The ever-increasing concentrations of such pollutants in the soil are considered serious threats toward everyone's health and the environment. Many techniques are used to clean, eliminate, obliterate or sequester these hazardous pollutants from the soil. However, these techniques can be costly, labor intensive, and often disquieting. Phytoremediation is a simple, cost effective, environmental friendly and fast-emerging new technology for eliminating toxic heavy metals and other related soil pollutants. Soil Remediation and Plants provides a common platform for biologists, agricultural engineers, environmental scientists, and chemists, working with a common aim of finding sustainable solutions to various environmental issues. The book provides an overview of ecosystem approaches and phytotechnologies and their cumulative significance in relation to solving various environmental problems. - Identifies the molecular mechanisms through which plants are able to remediate pollutants from the soil - Examines the challenges and possibilities towards the various phytoremediation candidates - Includes the latest research and ongoing progress in phytoremediation

Soil is an irreplaceable resource that sustains life on the planet, challenged by food and energy demands of an increasing population. Therefore, soil contamination constitutes a critical issue to be addressed if we are to secure the life quality of present and future generations. Integrated efforts from researchers and policy makers are required to develop sound risk assessment procedures, remediation strategies and sustainable soil management policies. Environmental Risk Assessment of Soil Contamination provides a wide depiction of current research in soil contamination and risk assessment, encompassing reviews and case studies on soil pollution by heavy metals and organic pollutants. The book introduces several innovative approaches for soil remediation and risk assessment, including advances in phytoremediation and implementation of metabolomics in soil sciences.

This document presents key messages and the state-of-the-art of soil pollution, its implications on food safety and human health. It aims to set the basis for further discussion during the forthcoming Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18), to be held at FAO HQ from May 2nd to 4th 2018. The publication has been reviewed by the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soil (ITPS) and contributing authors. It addresses scientific evidences on soil pollution and highlights the need to assess the extent of soil pollution globally in order to achieve food safety and sustainable development. This is linked to FAO’s strategic objectives, especially SO1, SO2, SO4 and SO5 because of the crucial role of soils to ensure effective nutrient cycling to produce nutritious and safe food, reduce atmospheric CO2 and N2O concentrations and thus mitigate climate change, develop sustainable soil management practices that enhance agricultural resilience to extreme climate events by reducing soil degradation processes. This document will be a reference material for those interested in learning more about sources and effects of soil pollution.

Soil contamination is the presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage tanks, application of pesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil. The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, lead and other heavy metals. This occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industrialisation and intensity of chemical usage. The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, both of direct contact and from secondary contamination of water supplies. Mapping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting cleanup are time consuming and expensive tasks, requiring extensive amounts of geology, hydrology, chemistry and computer modelling skills. This book presents the latest research from around the world in this field.