Electrokinetic Remediation for Environmental Security and Sustainability

12Electrokinetic‐Phytoremediation of Mixed Contaminants in Soil

Joana Dionísio¹, Nazaré Couto¹, Paula Guedes^1,2, Cristiana Gonçalves¹, and Alexandra B. Ribeiro¹

¹CENSE – Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829‐516 Caparica, Portugal

²Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, NOVA University Lisbon, 2780‐157 Oeiras, Portugal

12.1 Soil Contamination

Due to pollution related to anthropogenic factors, many toxic materials have been released and accumulated in soils that have consequently become profoundly polluted [1]. Contamination caused by diffuse or point sources may damage the valuable resources and services these ecosystems provide [2].

Soils are often polluted by a complex mixture of inorganic and organic contaminants. The most usual inorganic contaminants are heavy metals, while the organic contaminants include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, biocides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), flame retardants, surfactants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), etc. [3, 4].

Organic contaminants (OCs) reach the soil through several routes. For example, primary sources in the environment of PAHs, that are associated with petroleum and classified according to their aromatic benzene ring number, are combustion, extraction, and use of fossil fuels, as well as industrial processes. PPCPs comprise a ...