The control of agricultural pests is key to maintain economically viable crops. Increasing environmental awareness, however, is leading to more restrictive European policies regulating the use of certain pesticides due to their impact on human health and the soil system. Given this context, we evaluated the efficacy of three alternatives to the soil fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), which is currently banned in Europe: two non-fumigant nematicides [oxamyl (OX) and fenamiphos (FEN)] and the soil fumigant dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). We analysed the efficiency of these pesticides against root-knot nematodes and soil fungal pathogens (determined by qPCR) as well as the soil biological quality after treatments application (estimated by enzyme activities). Among treatments, 1,3-D and DMDS significantly reduced nematode populations. FEN was more effective in sandy soil, while OX had no effect in any soil. OX and FEN had no effect on fungal pathogens, whereas DMDS reduced the abundance of Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani at the root level in clay-loam soil. Soil quality decreased after treatment application but then recovered throughout the experiment, indicating the possible dissipation of the pesticides. Our findings support DMDS as a potential sustainable alternative for controlling root-knot nematodes and fungal pathogens due to its effectiveness in both studied soils, although its negative impact on soil biological quality in sandier soils must be taken into account.Main finding of the work. DMDS is a reliable alternative to 1,3-D for controlling agricultural pest but its inhibitory effect on soil enzyme activities varied according to the soil characteristics.

Contamination of soils by metals and metalloids is an important environmental problem in many residential and industrial sites around the world. Lead is a common contaminant, which enters the soil through mining, industrial activities and waste disposal. A range of technologies can be used to remediate soil lead, however most remediation technologies adversely affect the environment and particularly soil biota. We have assessed the efficacy of vermiremediation (the use of earthworms for remediation) to reduce water extractable lead concentrations in soil. Earthworms were introduced to a sandy soil spiked with the common lead minerals cotunnite (PbCl2), cerussite (PbCO3), massicot (PbO) or galena (PbS) at 1000 mg (Pb) kg−1. Lead concentrations in pore water extracted during the experiment were not significantly different in contaminated soil with and without worms. However, concentrations of lead in water from a deionised water extraction (washing) of contaminated soil were significantly lower in soil with earthworms than in soil without. Earthworms accumulated on average (±1 standard deviation) 276 ± 118, 235 ± 66, 241 ± 58 and 40 ± 30 mg kg−1 (dry weight of earthworms) of lead in their bodies, in PbCl2, PbCO3, PbO and PbS-dosed soils, respectively. During the experiment, earthworms lost weight in all contaminated soils, except those containing PbS.

To determine if long-term equilibration may alleviate molybdenum toxicity, earthworms, enchytraeids, collembolans and four plant species were exposed to three soils freshly spiked with Na₂MoO₄.2H₂O and equilibrated for 6 or 11 months in the field with free drainage. Total Mo concentrations in soil decreased by leaching, most (up to 98%) in sandy soil and less (54–62%) in silty and clayey soils. Changes in residual Mo toxicity with time were inconclusive in sandy soil. In the other two soils, toxicity of residual total Mo was significantly reduced after 11 months equilibration with a median 5.5-fold increase in ED50s. Mo fixation in soil, i.e. the decrease of soil solution Mo concentrations at equivalent residual total soil Mo, was maximally a factor of 2.1 only. This experiment shows natural attenuation of molybdate ecotoxicity under field conditions is related to leaching of excess Mo and other ions as well as to slow ageing reactions.

Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is an emerging explosive that may replace the currently used explosives such as RDX and HMX, but little is known about its fate in soil. The present study was conducted to determine degradation products of CL-20 in two sandy soils under abiotic and biotic anaerobic conditions. Biotic degradation was prevalent in the slightly acidic VT soil, which contained a greater organic C content, while the slightly alkaline SAC soil favored hydrolysis. CL-20 degradation was accompanied by the formation of formate, glyoxal, nitrite, ammonium, and nitrous oxide. Biotic degradation of CL-20 occurred through the formation of its denitrohydrogenated derivative (m/z 393 Da) while hydrolysis occurred through the formation of a ring cleavage product (m/z 156 Da) that was tentatively identified as CH2N-C(N-NO2)-CHN-CHO or its isomer N(NO2)CH-CHN-CO-CHNH. Due to their chemical specificity, these two intermediates may be considered as markers of in situ attenuation of CL-20 in soil. Two key intermediates of CL-20 degradation are potential markers of its natural attenuation in soil.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is generally believed not to influence the sorption of glyphosate in soil. To get a closer look on the dynamics between glyphosate and SOM, we used three approaches: I. Sorption studies with seven purified soil humic fractions showed that these could sorb glyphosate and that the aromatic content, possibly phenolic groups, seems to aid the sorption. II. Sorption studies with six whole soils and with SOM removed showed that several soil parameters including SOM are responsible for the strong sorption of glyphosate in soils. III. After an 80 day fate experiment, ~40% of the added glyphosate was associated with the humic and fulvic acid fractions in the sandy soils, while this was the case for only ~10% of the added glyphosate in the clayey soils. Glyphosate sorbed to humic substances in the natural soils seemed to be easier desorbed than glyphosate sorbed to amorphous Fe/Al-oxides.

A biological treatment method was tested in laboratory conditions for the removal of hydrocarbons contained in a waste disposal soil sample consisting of excavated sandy soil from a former fueling station. Two fractions of hydrocarbons were quantified by GC-FID: diesel (C₁₀–C₂₁) and lubricant oil (C₂₂–C₄₀). Meat and bone meal (MBM, 1% w/w) was used as a bio-stimulant agent for soil organisms. Cyclodextrin, an oligosaccharide produced from starch by enzymatic conversion, was also used to assess its ability to improve the bioavailability/biodegradability of hydrocarbons in the soil. Parameters such as temperature, pH, water content and aeration (O₂ availability) were monitored and optimized to favor degradation processes. Two different experimental tests were prepared: one to measure the degradation of hydrocarbons; the other to monitor the mobility of some elements in the soil and in the leachate produced by watering with tap water. Soil samples treated with MBM and cyclodextrin showed, over time, a greater removal of the more persistent hydrocarbon fraction (lubricant oil). MBM-treated soils underwent a faster hydrocarbon removal kinetic, especially in the first treatment period. However, the final hydrocarbon concentrations are comparable in all treatments, including control. Over time, the effect of cyclodextrin on hydrocarbon degradation seemed to be relevant. MBM-treated soils sequestered lead in the very first weeks. These results highlight the intrinsic capacity of soil, and its indigenous microbial communities, to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons and suggest that MBM-induced bioremediation is a promising, environmentally friendly technology which should be considered when dealing with hydrocarbon/heavy metal co-contaminated soils.

In this study, the feasibility of using zero-valent iron (ZVI) and Fe₃O₄-loaded biochar for Pb immobilization in contaminated sandy soil was investigated. A 180-day incubation study, combined with dry magnetic separation, chemical extraction, mineralogical characterization, and model plant (ryegrass, namely the Lilium perenne L.) growth experiment was conducted to verify the performance of these two materials. The results showed that both amendments significantly transferred the available Pb (the exchangeable and carbonates fraction) into more stable fractions (mainly Fe/Mn oxides-bound Pb), and ZVI alone showed a better performance than the magnetic biochar alone. The magnetic separation and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis proved that Fe (oxyhydr)oxides on aged ZVI particles were the major scavengers of Pb in ZVI-amended soils. In comparison, the reduced Pb availability in magnetic biochar-amended soil could be explained by the association of Pb with Fe/Mn (oxyhydr)oxides in aged magnetic biochar, also the possible precipitation of soil Pb with soluble anions (e.g. OH⁻, PO₄³⁻, and SO₄²⁻) released from magnetic biochar. ZVI increased ryegrass production while Fe₃O₄-loaded biochar had a negative effect on the ryegrass growth. Moreover, both markedly decreased the Pb accumulation in aboveground and root tissues. The simple dry magnetic separation presents opportunities for the removal of Pb from soils, even though the efficiencies were not high (17.5% and 12.9% of total Pb from ZVI and biochar-treated soils, respectively). However, it should be noted that the ageing process easily result in the loss of magnetism of ZVI while the magnetic biochar tends to be more stable and has high retrievability during the dry magnetic separation application.

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging concern and potential risk to marine and terrestrial environments. Surface soils are reported to act as a sink. However, MP vertical mobility in the subsurface remains uncertain due to a lack of scientific data. This study focused on MP penetration in sand soil column experiments. Here we report the mobility of five different MPs, which consisted of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) particles of various sizes and densities. We observed that the smallest sized PE MPs (21 μm) had the greatest movement potential. Moreover, it was found that when these MPs were subjected to greater numbers of wet-dry cycles, the penetration depth significantly increased, with an apparent linear relationship between depth and wet-dry cycle number (r2 = 0.817). In comparison, increasing the volume of infiltration liquid or the surface MP concentration had only negligible or weak effects on migration depth (r2 = 0.169 and 0.312, respectively). Based on the observed wet-dry cycle trend, we forecast 100-year penetration depths using weather data for 347 cities across China. The average penetration depth was calculated as 5.24 m (95% CI = 2.78–7.70 m), with Beijing Municipality and Hebei, Henan and Hubei provinces being the most vulnerable to MP vertical dispersion. Our results suggest that soils may not only represent a sink for MPs, but also a feasible entryway to subsurface receptors, such as subterranean fauna or aquifers. Finally, research gaps are identified and suggested research directions are put forward to garner a better understanding MP vertical migration in soil.

In many water-scarce countries, waste water is used for irrigation which poses a health risk to farmers and consumers. At the same time, it delivers nutrients to the farming systems. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that biochar can be used as a filter medium for waste water treatment to reduce pathogen loads. At the same time, the biochar is becoming enriched with nutrients and therefore can act as a fertilizer for soil amendment. We used biochar as a filter medium for the filtration of raw waste water and compared the agronomic effects of this “filterchar” (FC) and the untreated biochar (BC) in a greenhouse pot trial on spring wheat biomass production on an acidic sandy soil from Niger. The biochar filter showed the same removal of pathogens as a common sand filter (1.4 log units on average). We did not observe a nutrient accumulation in FC compared to untreated BC. Instead, P, Mg and K were reduced during filtration while N content remained unchanged. Nevertheless, higher biomass (Triticum L. Spp.) production in BC (+72%) and FC (+37%) treatments (20 t ha⁻¹), compared with the unamended control, were found. There were no significant differences in aboveground biomass production between BC and FC. Soil available P content was increased by BC (+106%) and FC (+52%) application. Besides, mineral nitrogen content was reduced in BC treated soil and to a lesser extent when FC was used. This may be explained by reduced sorption affinity for mineral nitrogen compounds on FC surfaces. Although the nutrients provided by FC decreased, due to leaching in the filter, it still yielded higher biomass than the unamended control.

This review provides a summary of studies analysing metal concentrations in soils and soil solution at European roadsides. The data collected during 27 studies covering a total of 64 sites across a number of European countries were summarised. Highest median values of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined in the top soil layer at the first 5 m beside the road. Generally, the influence of traffic on soil contamination decreased with increasing soil depth and distance to the road. The concentration patterns of metals in soil solution were independent from concentrations in the soil matrix. At 10-m distance, elevated soil metal concentrations, low pH, and low percolation rates led to high solute concentrations. Directly beside the road, high percolation rates lead to high annual loadings although solute concentrations are comparatively low. These loadings might be problematic, especially in regions with acidic sandy soils and a high groundwater table.