Soil contamination by potentially hazardous substances (e.g. metals, metalloids, radionuclides, organic compounds and emerging contaminants) is one of the major environmental challenges affecting soil and plant health, ecosystem services, food production and sustainable land management, as well as promoting other forms of soil degradation (e.g. erosion, salinisation and loss of organic matter and biodiversity). Understanding the extent and effects of soil contamination is essential for developing sustainable land management and remediation strategies. Although several remediation approaches have been investigated, particularly on a laboratory and greenhouse scale, their long-term effectiveness and sustainability in real field conditions are largely unknown. The success of remediation should be evaluated based on the removal or immobilisation of contaminants, as well as the recovery of soil properties, biological activity, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
This session focus on the transition to soil remediation at medium- and long-term soil recovery, with a particular emphasis on assessing and monitoring recovery processes. The aim is to bring together interdisciplinary research addressing contaminant removal, immobilisation and dynamics, environmental risk reduction, recovery of soil functions, soil–plant–microorganism interactions, ecosystem services and overall soil health, as well as legal frameworks, limitations of remediation strategies, and sustainability assessment of remediation strategies.
The session provides an opportunity to present studies and establish new partnerships with the aim of developing multidisciplinary strategies to contribute to the assessment and remediation of contaminated sites.