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Environmental Pollution Control and Treatment towards Soil Health and Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2024) | Viewed by 6003

Special Issue Editor

School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 10083, China
Interests: soil remediation; solid waste resource utilization; polluted site management and policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the study of contaminated soil remediation has become a hot topic in the field of environmental governance and is also a top priority in the field of environmental governance. At present, various industrial activities have led to varying degrees of soil pollution, and some soils have the characteristics of difficult remediation and unpredictable environmental toxicity. One of the key issues in the field of soil remediation is whether remediation technology can provide safety guarantees for soil reuse and whether it conforms to the development concept of green and low carbon. In addition, the toxicity of soil to human health is also receiving increasing attention. This journal is committed to researching new soil remediation and management solutions. It also involves active research and development of new structures, materials, and products with higher resource and energy efficiency utilization, exploring new paths for green and low-carbon soil pollution management and providing new ideas and references for soil safety utilization, clean energy production and use, and sustainable development.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yan Ma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • soil remediation
  • green and low-carbon technology
  • soil safety utilization
  • clean energy
  • sustainable development

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1479 KiB  
Article
Closing the Loop: Can Anaerobic Digestates from Food Waste Be Universal Source of Nutrients for Plant Growth?
by Piotr Cichy, Renata Tomczak-Wandzel, Beata Szatkowska, Joanna Kalka and Ravi Shankar Yadav
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6171; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146171 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1179
Abstract
Reducing waste production and improving waste treatment are key objectives in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan. Anaerobic digestion of food waste is a promising method, but safely disposing of its by-products, which contain valuable nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter, remains [...] Read more.
Reducing waste production and improving waste treatment are key objectives in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan. Anaerobic digestion of food waste is a promising method, but safely disposing of its by-products, which contain valuable nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter, remains a challenge. These nutrients suggest potential use in agriculture to enhance sustainability, yet their effects on plant growth need thorough understanding. This study investigated the impact of liquid digestates from anaerobic digestion of food waste, combined with fish sludge (from recirculated aquaculture systems), on plant growth (Lepidium sativum and Triticum aestivum) through direct soil tests. The content of biogenic elements in the digestates did not differ and was 0.32% for N, <0.05% for P, and 0.15% for K. Two tests were conducted, both using artificial soil prepared to OECD 207 standards: the Phytotoxkit™ test (ISO 18763:2016) and a pot experiment (OECD 208). Results showed that digestates initially delayed germination and hindered early plant growth, an effect that diminished over time. This may be due to the high organic matter content of digestates, similar to standard fertilizers like manure or compost. Pre-incubating digestates in soil before application, similar to common agricultural practices with soil amendments, is suggested as a potential solution. Full article
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23 pages, 3902 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Spatial Distribution and Spillover Effects of Fertilizer Application Intensity in Inner Mongolia, China
by Benna Da, Yunhua Wu and Wuyuntana Bao
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4697; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114697 - 31 May 2024
Viewed by 799
Abstract
The overuse of fertilizers has caused significant environmental pollution. In this paper, we aim to improve fertilizer utilization and promote sustainable agricultural development. Based on panel data at the flag (county) level in Inner Mongolia from 2001 to 2020, we analyzed the spatial [...] Read more.
The overuse of fertilizers has caused significant environmental pollution. In this paper, we aim to improve fertilizer utilization and promote sustainable agricultural development. Based on panel data at the flag (county) level in Inner Mongolia from 2001 to 2020, we analyzed the spatial heterogeneity and correlation of fertilizer application intensity using a two-stage nested Theil index and Moran’s I, and employed a Durbin model to elucidate its spatial spillover effects. The results show that overall disparities in fertilizer application intensity showed a decreasing trend, with league (city) disparities being the main reason for the overall disparities. In terms of spatial patterns, there is a positive spatial correlation between flags (counties), with the western region exhibiting a “high-high” type that gradually shifts towards the eastern region, particularly the cities of Tongliao and Chifeng. The central and eastern regions exhibit a “low-low” type. Future endeavors to decrease fertilizer application intensity are mainly focused on establishing “high-high” clusters. Policymakers should leverage these spatial interactions to diminish fertilizer usage and mitigate environmental pollution. Farmers, affluence, agricultural economic development, and grain yield positively influence fertilizer application intensity while agricultural modernization and land size have negative effects. All these factors demonstrate significant spatial spillover effects. Full article
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21 pages, 17917 KiB  
Article
Closing Access Streets to Schools for Vehicular Traffic—Does It Affect the Air Quality?
by Artur Badyda and Mariusz Rogulski
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3380; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083380 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1138
Abstract
This article presents the impact of vehicle traffic intensity and the closure of access roads for wheeled vehicles to selected schools in Warsaw at selected hours of the day on changes in air quality. This study focused primarily on analyses related to the [...] Read more.
This article presents the impact of vehicle traffic intensity and the closure of access roads for wheeled vehicles to selected schools in Warsaw at selected hours of the day on changes in air quality. This study focused primarily on analyses related to the pollutant typical of road traffic, i.e., nitrogen dioxide, but also took into account PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, which are some of the key factors determining the quality of atmospheric air, the sustainability of human beings, and sustainable development. Some kinds of relationships were found between vehicle traffic intensity and air pollutant concentrations, in particular—nitrogen dioxide. Analyses of the pollutant concentrations in the periods before and after the introduction of restrictions on vehicle traffic on working days indicate that, in the case of two of the schools during the morning traffic rush hours, significantly lower NO2 concentrations were observed in the period after the introduction of road traffic restrictions, compared with the period before they were introduced. NO2 concentrations during the morning peak hours (on working days) after introducing restrictions were more than 30% lower than the concentrations recorded during the same hours in the period before introducing restrictions. Full article
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16 pages, 2171 KiB  
Article
Combining Soil Immobilization and Dressing Techniques for Sustaining the Health of Metal-Contaminated Arable Soils
by Jung-Hwan Yoon, Chan-Gyu Lee, Byung-Jun Park, Seok Soon Jeong, Young Don Lee, Mary Beth Kirkham, Kwon-Rae Kim, Jae E. Yang, Yong-Ha Park, Sung Chul Kim and Hyuck Soo Kim
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3227; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083227 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1004
Abstract
The combination of lime immobilization of metals and soil dressing has been a prevalent practice in Korea for remediating metal-contaminated arable soils. However, there have been limited reports on whether this method effectively sustains soil health after remediation, particularly in arable soils. This [...] Read more.
The combination of lime immobilization of metals and soil dressing has been a prevalent practice in Korea for remediating metal-contaminated arable soils. However, there have been limited reports on whether this method effectively sustains soil health after remediation, particularly in arable soils. This study undertook a comparative assessment of the soil health index (SHI) across metal-contaminated arable lands, arable soils remediated with lime immobilization and soil dressing, and uncontaminated soils. A total 389 soil samples were collected from these sites and analyzed for nineteen indicators encompassing physical, chemical, and biological properties. To assess soil health, these indicators were screened using principal component analysis, yielding five minimum data set (MDS) indicators: total nitrogen, clay content, dehydrogenase activity, bacterial colony-forming units, and available phosphorus. Among these MDS indicators, total nitrogen exhibited the highest value as the principal component contributing to soil health assessment. Scores of the MDS indicators exhibited significant correlation with those of total data set indicators, affirming the appropriateness of the soil health assessment adopted in this study. The SHI of the remediated arable soils (0.48) surpassed those of the contaminated soils (0.47) and were statistically comparable to those of the uncontaminated forest (0.51) and upland (0.51) soils. The health of the contaminated soils demonstrated a high dependence on soil properties rather than metal concentrations. These findings underscore the robustness of the combined immobilization and soil dressing method for sustaining the health of contaminated arable soils post-remediation. Full article
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14 pages, 1738 KiB  
Article
Remediation Technologies of Contaminated Sites in China: Application and Spatial Clustering Characteristics
by Jingjing Yu, Panpan Wang, Bei Yuan, Minghao Wang, Pengfei Shi and Fasheng Li
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1703; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041703 - 19 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1318
Abstract
Screening remediation technologies through the lens of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development is crucial for contaminated land management. To better understand the applicability of remediation technologies, this paper explored their application in China based on a survey of 643 cases. By employing coupled [...] Read more.
Screening remediation technologies through the lens of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development is crucial for contaminated land management. To better understand the applicability of remediation technologies, this paper explored their application in China based on a survey of 643 cases. By employing coupled analysis and local spatial autocorrelation methods, this study reveals the alignment between remediation technologies and pollutants, along with their spatial distribution and clustering patterns. Specifically, the four primary remediation technologies identified were cement kiln co-processing (CKCP), chemical oxidation/reduction (CO/CR), thermal desorption (TR), and solidification and stabilization (S/S), collectively accounting for over 90% of the cases. Additionally, our findings indicated significant variation in how different pollutants respond to remediation technologies, largely attributable to the characteristics of the pollutants. We observed High–High clustering patterns for CKCP, CO/CR, TR, and S/S. These were predominantly found in Jiangsu, Chongqing, Shandong, and Guizhou for CKCP and CO/CR and in Hebei, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Chongqing for CO/CR. TR exhibited a High–High clustering in Shanghai, as did S/S. This research contributes to reducing the economic and resource costs associated with the trial-and-error of screening contaminated soil remediation technologies, offering valuable scientific and technological guidance for contaminated land regulation. Full article
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