Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications

Soil chromium contamination represents a significant global environmental challenge, posing serious risks to human health and ecosystems. The toxicity of hexavalent chromium, in particular, underscores the need for effective remediation strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. This review aims to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yingying Xing, Yu Zheng, Xiukang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Environmental Advances
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000067
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832557517723402240
author Yingying Xing
Yu Zheng
Xiukang Wang
author_facet Yingying Xing
Yu Zheng
Xiukang Wang
author_sort Yingying Xing
collection DOAJ
description Soil chromium contamination represents a significant global environmental challenge, posing serious risks to human health and ecosystems. The toxicity of hexavalent chromium, in particular, underscores the need for effective remediation strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. This review aims to evaluate various remediation methods for chromium-contaminated soils, including engineering, bioremediation, chemical, and agricultural approaches. It synthesizes existing literature to identify advancements and challenges associated with each method, focusing on their effectiveness, duration, and environmental impact. The findings indicate that solidification/stabilization techniques are effective in sequestering chromium; however, they raise concerns regarding long-term stability. Bioremediation, which employs hyperaccumulator plants and specific microorganisms, shows promise in reducing hexavalent chromium to its less toxic trivalent form, although it is often constrained by prolonged remediation times. Chemical methods, while effective, encounter challenges related to dosage control and the management of secondary pollutants. Agricultural strategies, including optimized land use and fertilization practices, can help mitigate chromium pollution but require careful management to enhance their efficacy. This review highlights the importance of integrating multiple remediation techniques to achieve optimal results. It emphasizes the potential of eco-friendly methods such as phytoremediation and constructed wetlands, which not only remove pollutants but also improve soil quality. Additionally, the study underscores the necessity of incorporating economic and environmental sustainability assessments into the development of comprehensive remediation strategies. The review concludes that an integrated approach combining engineering, bioremediation, chemical, and agricultural methods is essential for effectively managing chromium contamination in soils. By promoting sustainable practices in soil management and environmental protection, these strategies contribute to the broader goals of pollution prevention and ecological restoration, aligning with national development objectives and enhancing public health and safety.
format Article
id doaj-art-66af918dd4d44e828b751f3ff0a7a695
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-7657
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Environmental Advances
spelling doaj-art-66af918dd4d44e828b751f3ff0a7a6952025-02-03T04:16:59ZengElsevierEnvironmental Advances2666-76572025-04-0119100614Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implicationsYingying Xing0Yu Zheng1Xiukang Wang2Key Laboratory of Applied Ecology of Loess Plateau, College of Life Science, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi 716000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Applied Ecology of Loess Plateau, College of Life Science, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi 716000, ChinaCorresponding author.; Key Laboratory of Applied Ecology of Loess Plateau, College of Life Science, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi 716000, ChinaSoil chromium contamination represents a significant global environmental challenge, posing serious risks to human health and ecosystems. The toxicity of hexavalent chromium, in particular, underscores the need for effective remediation strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. This review aims to evaluate various remediation methods for chromium-contaminated soils, including engineering, bioremediation, chemical, and agricultural approaches. It synthesizes existing literature to identify advancements and challenges associated with each method, focusing on their effectiveness, duration, and environmental impact. The findings indicate that solidification/stabilization techniques are effective in sequestering chromium; however, they raise concerns regarding long-term stability. Bioremediation, which employs hyperaccumulator plants and specific microorganisms, shows promise in reducing hexavalent chromium to its less toxic trivalent form, although it is often constrained by prolonged remediation times. Chemical methods, while effective, encounter challenges related to dosage control and the management of secondary pollutants. Agricultural strategies, including optimized land use and fertilization practices, can help mitigate chromium pollution but require careful management to enhance their efficacy. This review highlights the importance of integrating multiple remediation techniques to achieve optimal results. It emphasizes the potential of eco-friendly methods such as phytoremediation and constructed wetlands, which not only remove pollutants but also improve soil quality. Additionally, the study underscores the necessity of incorporating economic and environmental sustainability assessments into the development of comprehensive remediation strategies. The review concludes that an integrated approach combining engineering, bioremediation, chemical, and agricultural methods is essential for effectively managing chromium contamination in soils. By promoting sustainable practices in soil management and environmental protection, these strategies contribute to the broader goals of pollution prevention and ecological restoration, aligning with national development objectives and enhancing public health and safety.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000067Soil chromium pollutionPhysical remediationChemical remediationBioremediationAgricultural remediation
spellingShingle Yingying Xing
Yu Zheng
Xiukang Wang
Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
Environmental Advances
Soil chromium pollution
Physical remediation
Chemical remediation
Bioremediation
Agricultural remediation
title Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
title_full Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
title_fullStr Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
title_full_unstemmed Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
title_short Integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: Advancements, challenges, and sustainability implications
title_sort integrated strategies for effective remediation of chromium contaminated soils advancements challenges and sustainability implications
topic Soil chromium pollution
Physical remediation
Chemical remediation
Bioremediation
Agricultural remediation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000067
work_keys_str_mv AT yingyingxing integratedstrategiesforeffectiveremediationofchromiumcontaminatedsoilsadvancementschallengesandsustainabilityimplications
AT yuzheng integratedstrategiesforeffectiveremediationofchromiumcontaminatedsoilsadvancementschallengesandsustainabilityimplications
AT xiukangwang integratedstrategiesforeffectiveremediationofchromiumcontaminatedsoilsadvancementschallengesandsustainabilityimplications