Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water: Issues and Challenges

Soil contamination, also called soil pollution and land pollution, is a part of land degradation caused by the spillage, burying or migration of hazardous contaminants from local waste, untreated industrial effluents, agrochemicals, manufacturing wastes and other human-made activities or substances into the soil ecosystem. Industrial activity, agricultural chemicals and improper waste disposal are the leading causes of soil contamination. Sediments refer to silt, loose sand, clay and other ...