A 2011 conference paper Chen co-authored for the East and Southeast Asia Federation of Soil Science Societies describes three soil remediation techniques. Turnover and dilution — mixing surface soil with subsoil to reduce the concentration of heavy metals in the former — is cheap and fast. Chemical treatments aim to stabilize heavy metals in a form where they’re less likely to enter food crops via their roots. The third approach is phytoremediation, the use of particular plant species and associated microorganisms to clean up contaminated soil. However, using such agents — which boost the solubility and leaching of heavy metals — also increases the risk of groundwater contamination.

Source: Taipei Times May 25, 2021 15:56 UTC