Environmental interactions and remediation strategies for co-occurring pollutants in soil

Abstract

With the development of industrialization, urbanization and modern agriculture, a myriad of pollutants have accumulated in soils, deteriorating soil health and food safety, and causing risks to human and ecosystem health. Environmental interactions and remediation strategies to address a single pollutant in soil have been widely documented, whereas information concerning remediation of co-occurring pollutants in soil, which is more prevalent and important for agricultural management, has received far less attention. The paucity of information regarding remediation strategies for multiple pollutants can be ascribed to the complicated interactions between physiochemical and biological processes affecting co-occurring pollutants in soil. Research on soil co-contaminants has received greater attention in recent years as advancements in single pollutant remediation strategies have progressed, thereby building a fundamental foundation to investigate more complex co-contamination issues. This review summarizes the current understanding of environmental interactions and remediation strategies for individual pollutants in soil, and then focuses on how this information can be used to develop effective remediation strategies for co-occurring pollutants in soil. Based on this synthesis, we identify important knowledge gaps and opportunities for future work to advance the science of pollutant remediation in soil systems.