Paving the way toward soil safety and health: current status, challenges, and potential solutions

Highlights

● The safety and health of soil face global threats from widespread contamination.

● Tackling soil pollutions require holistic soil remediation and management.

● Big data can revolutionize contaminated soil management and remediation.

Abstract

Soil is a non-renewable resource, providing a majority of the world’s food and fiber while serving as a vital carbon reservoir. However, the health of soil faces global threats from human activities, particularly widespread contamination by industrial chemicals. Existing physical, chemical, and biological remediation approaches encounter challenges in preserving soil structure and function throughout the remediation process, as well as addressing the complexities of soil contamination on a regional scale. Viable solutions encompass monitoring and simulating soil processes, with a focus on utilizing big data to bridge micro-scale and macro-scale processes. Additionally, reducing pollutant emissions to soil is paramount due to the significant challenges associated with removing contaminants once they have entered the soil, coupled with the high economic costs of remediation. Further, it is imperative to implement advanced remediation technologies, such as monitored natural attenuation, and embrace holistic soil management approaches that involve regulatory frameworks, soil health indicators, and soil safety monitoring platforms. Safeguarding the enduring health and resilience of soils necessitates a blend of interdisciplinary research, technological innovation, and collaborative initiatives.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Soil safety and health / Source emission reduction / Process monitoring and simulation / Green remediation technology / Soil health management

Lizhong Zhu is a professor in the College of Environmental & Resource Sciences at Zhejiang University, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He has achieved a series of innovative outcomes in the field of interfacial behavior and regulation technologies for organic pollutants between soil and water. Through his work, the molecular mechanisms of non-linear behavior at the multi-media interface of organic pollutants and the associated principles of regulation and control technologies have been illuminated. The application of organic bentonite for wastewater treatment has been developed. A series of new technologies have been established to mitigate soil organic pollution in farmland, and ensure the safe production of agricultural products. The technical systems and engineering schemes for collaborative remediation of various complex organic contaminated sites have been constructed. He has published 6 books and 355 papers journals papers, with a total citation of > 19000. He has received 25 national invention patents. Seven achievements won the first prize of Zhejiang Province and the Ministry of Education, and two achievements won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and second prize of the National Natural Science Award

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2021YFC1809204).

Conflict of Interests

Lizhong Zhu is an editorial board member of Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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