Contaminants in agricultural soils

Challenges and solutions

Contributions by Dr Mentore Vaccari, Professor Ganga Hettiarachichi, Professor Linda Lee, Dr Vera Felix da Graca Silva, Dr Nikola Rakonjac, Dr G. J. Levy, Dr Liang Wang, Dr Ayanka Wijayawardena, Dr Gerhard Soja, Dr Bhaba Biswas, Dr Paula Alvarenga, Dr David Leung, Dr Berta Cumbane, Professor Fang Wang Edited by Distinguished Laureate Professor Ravi Naidu

Publication date:

Q2 2025

Length of book:

400 pages

Publisher

Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

Dimensions:

229x152mm
6x9"

It’s been estimated that around 24 billion tonnes of fertile topsoil is lost each year due to historic and ongoing pollution. With increasing pressure placed upon land as a resource, there is an urgent need to make better use of existing agricultural land, as well as remediate contaminated land for farming use.

Contaminants in agricultural soils: Challenges and solutions provides a comprehensive overview of the major types of contaminants in agricultural soils. It considers key issues in dealing with contaminants such as advances in detection and risk assessment. The book also reviews recent advances in bioremediation and phytoremediation techniques to manage contaminants in soils.

Part 1 Types of contaminants in agricultural soils

1.Petroleum hydrocarbon waste product contaminants in agricultural soils: Mentore Vaccari, University of Brescia, Italy;
2.Heavy metal contaminants in agricultural soils: Ganga Hettiarachichi, Kansas State University, USA;
3.Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as contaminants in agricultural soils: Linda Lee, Purdue University, USA;
4.Pesticide residues as contaminants in agricultural soils: Vera Felix da Graca Silva, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;
5.Antibiotic residues as contaminants in agricultural soils: Nikola Rakonjac, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;
6.Wastewater as a contamination risk for agricultural soils: Guy Levy, Volcani Institute – Agricultural Research Organisation, Israel;

Part 2 Remediation techniques

7.Advances in analytical techniques for detecting contaminants in soils: Liang Wang, University of Newcastle, Australia;
8.Advances in risk assessment of contaminated agricultural soils: Ayanka Wijayawardena, University of Newcastle, Australia;
9.Bioremediation: advances in using soil organic amendments to control contaminants in agricultural soils: Gerhard Soja, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria;
10.Bioremediation: advances in bioremediation additives to control contaminants in agricultural soils: Bhaba Biswas, University of Newcastle, Australia;
11.Phytoremediation: advances in soil contaminant phyto-stabilisation/immobilisation using vegetative cover: Paula Alvarenga, University of Lisbon, Portugal;
12.Phytoremediation: advances in soil contaminant phyto-extraction by accumulator and hyper-accumulator plants: David Leung, Unversity of Canterbury, New Zealand;
13.Growing energy crops in contaminated soils: Berta Cumbane, University of Lisbon, Portugal;
14.Managing contaminants in farmed soils: case studies from China: Fang Wang, Institute of Soil Science – Chinese Academy of Sciences, China;