Chapter 17 - Nanotechnology for soil remediation: Revitalizing the tarnished resource

Abstract

Soil pollution and degradation remains an important environmental issue and its remediation, a global challenge. The degrading soil resource across the world, significantly impact agricultural productivity, food security as well as human well-being and therefore require immediate attention. As the demands of food production for the burgeoning human population rise, so does the exploitation and degradation of soil and land to meet these demands. Further the contamination of soil with heavy metals, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) adds to this global crisis. Soil polluted with these chemicals poses greater risk of food chain contamination due to the bioaccumulation potential of these pollutants. Agricultural productivity is seriously afflicted by both the pressure of producing more food and the challenge of preventing further soil degradation. Nanoenabled remediation of soil might provide a sustainable solution for revitalizing the tarnished soil resources. Nanotechnology-based applications are cost efficient and simple to use and imply on more effective treatment and remediation methods that may considerably reduce soil pollution. This chapter is aimed at examining the prospects of nanotechnology-based remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, their residues, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) alongside exploring its roles in enhancing phytoremediation and bioremediation.