need to be explored and require further advancement to expedite waste management at broader scale even under various environmental stress conditions.
Keywords
Environmental impacts · Organic/inorganic pollutants · Bioremediation · Soil ·
Sustainable management
16.1 Introduction
“Soil pollution” refers to the presence of chemicals in soil at a higher than normal
concentration, is likely to cause adverse effects on non-targeted organisms and
impedes the natural balance of the ecological system (The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and Intergovernmental Technical Panel (ITPS) 2015).
Although majority of the pollutants have anthropogenic origin, some occur naturally
in the soil as minerals’ components and can be toxic at high concentrations.
Industrialization, urbanization, warfare activities, escalated standards of living and
intensification of agriculture have left a legacy of polluted soils around the world
(European Environment Agency (EEA) 2014; Bundschuh et al. 2012).
Accumulation of organic (persistent organic pollutants, POPs; volatile organic
carbons, VOCs; polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs; polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, PAHs; pesticides, etc.) and inorganic (metal(loid)s and non-metals)
pollutants in soil is predominantly associated with the emissions from the rapidly
expanding industries, disposal of metallic wastes, mine tailings, leaded paints and
gasoline, agricultural application of pesticides and fertilizers (organic and inorganic), municipal waste generation, wastewater irrigation, coal combustion, spillage
of petrochemicals and atmospheric depositions (Table 16.1). Contamination of soil
is caused by either point or diffuse (non-point) sources:
16.1.1 Point-Source Pollution
Release of pollutants or contaminants to the soil by a specific or series of events
within a particular area where one can easily identify the source and pollutants.
Anthropogenic activities, viz. industries, mining sites, wastewater disposal, uncontrolled landfills, excessive application of agrochemicals, etc., are the main sources of
point-source pollution.
16.1.2 Diffuse-Source Pollution
Spread of pollutants is over a wider area. Pollutants accumulate in soil by deposition
and do not have a single or easily identified source. It occurs where emission,
452
M. Gautam et al.
Keywords
Environmental impacts · Organic/inorganic pollutants · Bioremediation · Soil ·
Sustainable management
16.1 Introduction
“Soil pollution” refers to the presence of chemicals in soil at a higher than normal
concentration, is likely to cause adverse effects on non-targeted organisms and
impedes the natural balance of the ecological system (The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and Intergovernmental Technical Panel (ITPS) 2015).
Although majority of the pollutants have anthropogenic origin, some occur naturally
in the soil as minerals’ components and can be toxic at high concentrations.
Industrialization, urbanization, warfare activities, escalated standards of living and
intensification of agriculture have left a legacy of polluted soils around the world
(European Environment Agency (EEA) 2014; Bundschuh et al. 2012).
Accumulation of organic (persistent organic pollutants, POPs; volatile organic
carbons, VOCs; polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs; polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, PAHs; pesticides, etc.) and inorganic (metal(loid)s and non-metals)
pollutants in soil is predominantly associated with the emissions from the rapidly
expanding industries, disposal of metallic wastes, mine tailings, leaded paints and
gasoline, agricultural application of pesticides and fertilizers (organic and inorganic), municipal waste generation, wastewater irrigation, coal combustion, spillage
of petrochemicals and atmospheric depositions (Table 16.1). Contamination of soil
is caused by either point or diffuse (non-point) sources:
16.1.1 Point-Source Pollution
Release of pollutants or contaminants to the soil by a specific or series of events
within a particular area where one can easily identify the source and pollutants.
Anthropogenic activities, viz. industries, mining sites, wastewater disposal, uncontrolled landfills, excessive application of agrochemicals, etc., are the main sources of
point-source pollution.
16.1.2 Diffuse-Source Pollution
Spread of pollutants is over a wider area. Pollutants accumulate in soil by deposition
and do not have a single or easily identified source. It occurs where emission,
452
M. Gautam et al.