Application of Soil Washing and Thermal Desorption for Sustainable Remediation and Reuse of Remediated Soil

Sang-Hwan Lee,Soon-Oh Kim,Sang-Woo Lee,Min-Suk Kim,Hyun Park

doi:10.3390/su132212523

Sang-Hwan Lee, Soon-Oh Kim + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212523

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Nov 12, 2021
Citations: 14	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Gyeongsang National University, Korea University

Abstract

Global governance of soil resources as well as revitalizations and remediation of degraded areas seem to be necessary actions for sustainable development. A great deal of effort has gone into developing remediation technologies to remove or reduce the impact of these contaminants in the environment. However, contaminated soil remediations in stringent conditions deteriorate soil properties and functions and create the need for efficient soil revitalization measures. Soil washing (SW) and thermal desorption (TD) are commonly used to remediate contaminated soil and can significantly reduce the contaminant, sometimes to safe levels where reuse can be considered; however, the effects of treatment on soil quality must be understood in order to support redevelopment after remediation. In this review, we discussed the effects of SW and TD on soil properties, including subsequent soil quality and health. Furthermore, the importance of these techniques for remediation and reclamation strategies was discussed. Some restoration strategies were also proposed for the recovery of soil quality. In addition, remediated and revitalized soil can be reused for various purposes, which can be accepted as an implementation of sustainable remediation. This review concludes with an outlook of future research efforts that will further shift SW and TD toward sustainable remediation.

Highlights

IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
To date, studies have focused on the development of remediation techniques that can be applied to specific contaminants or sites, as well as on techniques to increase remediation efficiency or reduce remediation time [4,5,6]
Holland et al [7] advocated the integration of sustainability principles into remediation activities, which is described as a holistic approach to remediation. This approach aims to balance impacts and influences on social, environmental, and financial sustainability while protecting human and ecosystem health. They suggested that sustainable remediation frameworks should critically consider the preferred end use or future use, and that all planning, activities, and resources dedicated to remediating a site should align and add value to the preferred end or future uses, beginning from the inception of the project

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This approach aims to balance impacts and influences on social, environmental, and financial sustainability while protecting human and ecosystem health They suggested that sustainable remediation frameworks should critically consider the preferred end use or future use, and that all planning, activities, and resources dedicated to remediating a site should align and add value to the preferred end or future uses, beginning from the inception of the project. The concept of green and sustainable remediation focuses on minimizing the environmental impacts of remediation activities, and covers a wide range of impacts and benefits, including long-term land use and soil management. This concept aims to address the following questions in the design of remediation strategies.

Deterioration of Soil Quality during Soil Remediation

Thermal

Revitalization of Disturbed Soil

Findings

Conclusions