Soil Pollution and Remediation : Risk Assessment, Phytoremediation, Revegetation

The process of mineral extraction results in substantial damage of the topsoil, which leads to soil degradation in the form of deterioration of the soil structure, susceptibility to soil erosion, excessive leaching of nutrients, soil compaction, decrease in soil pH, accumulation of heavy metals in soil, depletion of organic matter, reduced accessibility of nutrients for plants, diminished capacity for cation exchange, the decline in microbial activity, and ultimately, a consequent decline in soil fertility. Effective management of topsoil is indispensable in the execution of a reclamation strategy, as it serves to minimize nutrient depletion and ultimately expedite the process of restoring soil health and quality.

Ghana is among the top ten gold producing countries in the world and its actions towards achieving environmental sustainability in the mining sector must be shared with the world. There are some great success stories as well as challenges in the mining sector sustainability from Ghana’s case, which are left undocumented and are limited in investigations in a scientific book. Such enviable feats chalked by some mining companies must be documented so that lessons can be borrowed for replications in restoring similar degraded mining sites elsewhere across the globe. Additionally, companies can learn from the success stories and challenges encountered in mine land reclamation and revegetation in this book.

Revegetation may present a sustainable option for the reclamation and restoration of mine soil degradation. The restoration process involves many strategies aimed at improving the quality of soil, such as augmenting the quantity of soil organic matter, enhancing nutrient availability, increasing cation exchange capacity, stimulating biological activities, and optimizing the physical qualities of the soil.

Researchers, scientists and consultants in the subject of soil pollution and remediation have conducted a great deal of study using a variety of techniques and approaches. However, a fragmented reporting of techniques and results has resulted from the documentation and dissemination of success stories, challenges and findings mostly through individual technical reports and publication in scholarly journals. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the many scientific methodologies used to identify environmental risks related to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in mining sites and revegetation as a strategy to ameliorating contaminated and degraded mining sites. The book covers application of these methods in identifying soil-human health risks and planning towards reclamation of such derelict ecosystems.

The book combines reviews of relevant literature, laboratory investigation on PTEs from representative mine-contaminated soil and spoil samples as well as appraisal of case studies on successful reclamation and revegetation of mine-degraded lands. Applications of the total element concentration method, size fractionation experiments, sequential extraction analyses, risk assessment indices, geospatial analysis, redox chemistry experiments, synchrotron radiation science, incubation experiments, and pot experimental trials in soil remediation works were documented first hand in a single piece in this book.

The book is organized into nineteen chapters, each dedicated to soil contamination caused by mining and revegetation as a sustainable solution. The initial parts of the book deal with various techniques for identifying soil-human health risks. They include some topics such as the consequences of heavy metal presence and build-up, the sources from which heavy metal pollutants originate, and the possible hazards they bring to plant, human, and soil health. The second parts begin with the concept of mining sector sustainability and explore revegetation as a strategy for reclaiming and remediating mining-contaminated lands, with the objective of restoring ecosystem functionality, improving soil characteristics, and cleaning metal-contaminated soils.

The book may serve as a valuable resource for individuals occupying various professional roles and engaging in academic pursuits, such as project officers operating within the environmental, safety, and health divisions of mining enterprises, consultants specializing in land reclamation, lecturers specializing in environmental and soil sciences, students, and individuals with a strong interest in environmental protection.