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Bioremediation: advances in using soil organic amendments to manage contaminants in agricultural soils
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12 December 2025

When the EU Soil Observatory stated that 61% of EU soils are in an unhealthy state, contamination was one of the main reasons. Common contaminants include persistent organic pollutants, drug and veterinary product residues, microplastics, and residues from excessive fertilizer or pesticide application. This chapter focusses on organic amendments in agricultural soils that have the potential to immobilize toxic trace elements and support the biodegradation of organic pollutants, by immobilizing and supporting microbiological degraders. The most commonly used organic amendments are compost, biochar and chitosan. The chapter reviews new developments in remediation treatments based on chemical modifications of classic amendments and/or the combination of different amendments. Complex contaminant mixtures require novel developments of tailor-made amendment combinations.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Agronomy / Soil Science, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Agronomy / Crop Science, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Contaminants in agricultural soils
- 3 Remediation techniques for agricultural soils
- 4 Bioremediation: compost amendments
- 5 Bioremediation: biochar amendments for soil and environmental health
- 6 Biochar: mechanisms of action in immobilizing trace elements in soil
- 7 Biochar: mechanisms of action in immobilizing organic pollutants in soil
- 8 Engineering biochars for specific remediation purposes
- 9 Combining amendments for soil remediation: clay minerals, sewage sludge and chitosan
- 10 Conclusion and future trends
- 11 Where to look for further information
- 12 References