Following a description of the various sources and factors influencing the contents of heavy metal pollution in post-catastrophic and agricultural soils, subsequent chapters examine soil enzymes and eggs as bio-monitors, lead adsorption, the effects of arsenic on microbial diversity, and the effects of Mediterranean grasslands on abandoned mines. A third section focuses on the adaptation strategies used by plants and bacteria, such as Pinus sylvestris in industrial areas, and the rhizosphere in contaminated tropical soils and soil treated with sewage sludge. Further topics addressed include strategies of bioremediation, e.g. using transgenic plants as tools for soil remediation. This new volume on heavy metals in soil will be of interest to researchers and scholars in microbial and plant biotechnology, agriculture, the environmental sciences and soil ecology.

This is the first book aimed at development of a common language among scientists working in the field of Phytoremediation. Authors of the main chapters are leading scientists in this field. Some of them were among the first ones to have suggested the use of hyperaccumulator plants for extraction of metals from soils. Manuscripts based on lectures presented at the ASI have been revised here to take into account ASI participants’ comments and suggestions.

Human activities have dramatically changed the composition and organisation of soils. Industrial and urban wastes, agricultural application and also mining activities resulted in an increased concentration of heavy metals in soils. How plants and soil microorganisms cope with this situation and the sophisticated techniques developed for survival in contaminated soils is discussed in this volume. The topics presented include: the general role of heavy metals in biological soil systems; the relation of inorganic and organic pollutions; heavy metal, salt tolerance and combined effects with salinity; effects on abuscular mycorrhizal and on saprophytic soil fungi; heavy metal resistance by streptomycetes; trace element determination of environmental samples; the use of microbiological communities as indicators; phytostabilization of lead polluted sites by native plants; effects of soil earthworms on removal of heavy metals and the remediation of heavy metal contaminated tropical land.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters.Although adverse health effects of heavy metals have been known for a long time, exposure to heavy metals continues and is even increasing in some areas. Remediating heavy metal contaminated soils and water is necessary to reduce the associated health and ecological risks, make the land resource

Heavy-metal contamination is one of the world's major environmental problems, posing significant risks to agro-ecosystems. Conventional technologies employed for heavy-metal remediation have often been expensive and disruptive. This book provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art coverage of the natural, sustainable alternatives that use a wide range of biological materials in the removal/detoxification of heavy metals, consequently leading to the improvement of crops in these soils. Novel, environmentally friendly and inexpensive solutions are presented based on a sound understanding of metal contamination and the roles of plants and microbes in the management of these toxic soils. Written by worldwide experts, the book provides not only the necessary scientific background but also addresses the challenging questions that require special attention in order to better understand metal toxicity in soils and its management through bioremediation.

Understanding the mechanisms associated with metal complexes and the sequestering metal contaminants in the environment is essential for effective remediation. Heavy Metal Release in Soils describes and quantifies desorption/release kinetics and dissolution reactions in the release of heavy metals from soil. The book focuses on: New techniques - microscopic surface techniques, NMR and electrophoresis, XAFS, SFM, and time-resolved ATR-FTIR Theoretical analysis and kinetic approaches - adsorption/desorption hysteresis, competitive sorption and transport, multi-component models, speciation kinetics, isotherms and soil and metal parameters, and the role of soil properties on transport Applications - arsenic speciation and mobility in contaminated soils, modeling activity of CD, Zn, and Cu in contaminated soils, and in situ chemical immobilization A timely addition to the literature, this book highlights the desorption/release mechanisms for the purpose of resolving remediation dilemmas in contaminated environments. It gives you the added advantage of case studies at both the microscopic and macroscopic scales, and provides both experimental and numerical investigations. With contributions from an international panel of authors, Heavy Metals Release in Soils fills a gap in the current literature concerned with subsurface contaminant fate and transport processes.

An unmatched reference on electrochemical technologies for soil, sediment, and groundwater pollution remediation Electrochemical technologies are emerging as important approaches for effective and efficient pollution remediation, both on their own and in concert with other remediation techniques. Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater provides a systematic and clear explanation of fundamentals, field applications, as well as opportunities and challenges in developing and implementing electrochemical remediation technologies. Written by leading authorities in their various areas, the text summarizes the latest research and offers case studies that illustrate equipment, installation, and methods employed in real-world remediations. Divided into nine sections, the coverage includes: Introduction and fundamental principles Remediation of heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants Remediation of organic pollutants Remediation of mixed contaminants Electrokinetic barriers Integrated (coupled) technologies Mathematical modeling Economic and regulatory considerations Field applications and performance assessment Unique as a comprehensive reference on the subject, Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater will serve as a valuable resource to all environmental engineers, scientists, regulators, and policymakers.

This edited book, Soil Contamination - Threats and Sustainable Solutions, is intended to provide an update on different aspects of soil contamination exerted by a multiplicity of exogenous and endogenous causes. We hope that this book will continue to increase information from diverse sources and to give some real-life examples, extending the appreciation of the complexity of this subject in a way that may stimulate new approaches in relevant fields.

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

Plant Metal Interaction: Emerging Remediation Techniques covers different heavy metals and their effect on soils and plants, along with the remediation techniques currently available. As cultivable land is declining day-by-day as a result of increased metals in our soil and water, there is an urgent need to remediate these effects. This multi-contributed book is divided into four sections covering the whole of plant metal interactions, including heavy metals, approaches to alleviate heavy metal stress, microbial approaches to remove heavy metals, and phytoremediation. - Provides an overview of the effect of different heavy metals on growth, biochemical reactions, and physiology of various plants - Serves as a reference guide for available techniques, challenges, and possible solutions in heavy metal remediation - Covers sustainable technologies in uptake and removal of heavy metals