Effect of PCP Pesticide Contamination on Soil Quality

Abstract

In recent years, soil contamination with pesticides has become a crucial news issue with serious short- and long-term effects on human health and its environment. Pesticides play a significant role in the success of modern farming and food production. These compounds have potential for toxicity and adverse effects on human health and ecological soil systems. Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is one of the most recalcitrant chemicals polluting the environment for its stable aromatic ring system and chloride content. Nowadays, many sites are contaminated with this substance. In these areas, concentrations may stay high for a long time because of slow degradation in the soil due to the negative effects that PCP has on soil microbial populations. Bioremediation of PCP contaminated sites can be realized introducing directly, into a contaminated system, microorganisms able to consume selectively the target compound (bioaugmentation) or increasing the microbial indigenous population by addiction of nutrients in form of organic and/or inorganic fertilizers and biosolids (biostimulation). In the present chapter, we present an overview of the effect of PCP pesticide contamination on soil microbial populations (density and diversity), enzymatic activity and physicochemical parameters. Additionally, the bioremediation process will be detailed.

Relevance of Soil Heavy Metal XRF Screening for Quality and Landscaping of Public Playgrounds

“…Out of these possible interventions, phytoremediation relies on plants to mitigate heavy metals. This method could be paired with the application of beneficial microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for joined phytoremediation–mycoremediation [ 55 ]. The phytoremediation method has received increasing attention because it involves lesser costs in scenarios of moderate polluted soils [ 56 ].…”

Ecological problems associated with personal care products and the role of microbes in aquatic environment

“…Aquatic sediments hold a considerable amount of PCPs because of their sorption capacity or affinity binding (Wang & Wang, 2016). Excess PCPs are unable to remain in the water for a longer period, as they segregate between water and the soil bed underneath (Ammeri et al., 2020) through physical and chemical processes which in turn depend on the soil pH, sedimentation affinity etc. For example, the presence of a xenobiotic compound in the aquatic environment does not immediately imply any risk to the environment by itself, as they need binding agents before the internal tissue concentration of the pollutant increases and the early adverse effects occur.…”