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Nanotechnology in Environmental Soil Science

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Soil Science: Fundamentals to Recent Advances

Abstract

Nano-materials play an important role regarding the fate, mobility, and toxicity of soil pollutants and are essential part of different biotic and abiotic remediation strategies. Efficiency and fate of nano-materials is strongly dictated by their properties and interactions with soil constituents. Investigations into the remediation applications and fate of nano-particles in soil remain scarce and are mostly limited to laboratory studies. Once entered in the soil system, nano-materials may affect the soil quality and plant growth. The fate of NMs is highlighted in soil-plant system with a critical evaluation of potential threats to the soil ecosystem. The environmental application and risk assessment of manufactured nano-particles (MNPs) in soil greatly depend on our understanding of the interactions between MNPs and soil components. Because of the complexity of the soil system and the very early stage of MNP research in soil, our understanding of MNP behavior in this system is very limited. Manufactured nano-particles are applied deliberately for soil remediation and are also released unintentionally through various other pathways to soil. Currently, the remediation of polluted soils using nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI), carbon nanotubes, and nano-fibers has become an emerging area with a huge potential to improve the performance of traditional remediation technologies. However, environmental concerns have also emerged regarding human and environmental health when nanotechnologies are released to ecosystems. The goal of this article is to highlight the environmental benefits and risks that arise when nanotechnologies are used to remediate polluted soils. Cutting-edge knowledge regarding the use of nano-particles to decontaminate soils has to move forward, but environmental quality, human health, and social welfare should also be ensured.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabibagh, Bhopal, India

    Tapan Adhikari

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  1. Tapan Adhikari
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Correspondence to Tapan Adhikari .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Amitava Rakshit

  2. Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    S.K Singh

  3. Institute of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    P.C. Abhilash

  4. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

    Asim Biswas

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© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Adhikari, T. (2021). Nanotechnology in Environmental Soil Science. In: Rakshit, A., Singh, S., Abhilash, P., Biswas, A. (eds) Soil Science: Fundamentals to Recent Advances. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0917-6_14

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