Potentially Toxic Trace Elements in Contaminated Sites: Fate, Risk and Remediation

Dear Colleagues,

The occurrence, distribution and fate of potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs, including As, Cd, Hg and Pb) of both anthropogenic and natural origin in the environment represents an issue of global concern. These contaminants are easily accumulated in the soil and sediment matrices leading to a general worsening of the environmental quality in both continental and aquatic systems. Moreover, PTEs can be also subjected to remobilisation processes with subsequent release of more mobile and often more toxic chemical forms, which can result in PTEs potential bioaccumulation in plants and in the food chain as well as ecological and health risks. Thus, PTEs pose a risk to marine and terrestrial life and human health, and they often lead to expensive mitigation procedures. In this context, in situ remediation techniques such as the use of sustainable sorbent amendments have been shown to be effective in mitigating the risks related to the occurrence of bioavailable forms of PTEs in soils and sediments with respect to traditional approaches including dredging, removal and capping.

This Special Issue of Applied Sciences is a valuable opportunity to publish recent studies related to the risk assessment and management of contaminated sites in both marine and continental environments. Moreover, the assessment of bioavailability, transport and fate of PTEs will be also considered.

Dr. Alessandro Acquavita
Dr. Beatrice Campanella
Dr. Elena Pavoni
Guest Editors

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