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Studies on Soil and Water Contamination
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Studies on Soil and Water Contamination

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2023) | Viewed by 7795

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paula Carvalho

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geosciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: mineralogy, environmental geochemistry; soil and water contamination; heavy metals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Selvam Sekar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geology, V.O. Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi 628008, Tamilnadu, India
Interests: hydrochemistry; environmental geochemistry; human health risk assessment; RS and GIS; geochemical modelling; submarine groundwater discharge
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global population growth and a high number of industrial activities have polluted soil and water. Water and soil resources are essential, and their loss and degradation may not be recoverable within a human lifetime, mainly because pollutants tend to be persistent in the environment, especially heavy metals. Potentially toxic elements are released into the environment, and many geochemical processes are involved in their transport, deposition and accumulation.

Soil retains water and pollutants, regulates water quality and also recharges aquifers. Therefore, pollutants' behavior requires the evaluation of the geochemical and mineralogical processes in the soil and the interface of soil–water.

Pollution monitoring, together with pollution control and remediation techniques, is critical to prevent the degradation and loss of water and soil resources. Moreover, spatial and holistic approaches to assess environmental and health risks are also required.

This Special Issue aims to gather high-quality papers emphasizing different aspects and findings of soil and water contamination, monitoring, remediation and risk assessment.

We are pleased to invite you to submit research contributions that will go through a peer review process performed by independent reviewers. Original case studies and review papers are invited for publication in this Special Issue.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Paula Carvalho
Dr. Selvam Sekar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil and water quality
  • soil mineralogy
  • geochemistry
  • pollutants behavior, pollution control
  • remediation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 1251 KiB  
Article
Potential Toxic-Element Pollution in Surface Water and Its Implications for Aquatic and Human Health: Source–Pathway–Receptor Model
by Gladys Belle, Yolandi Schoeman and Paul Oberholster
Water 2023, 15(17), 3100; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15173100 - 29 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1575
Abstract
This study focused on assessing the extent of pollution in both flowing and non-flowing surface water within the Matjhabeng mining area of South Africa, with particular emphasis on the substantial impact of gold mine tailings. A comprehensive analysis of physical water-quality attributes, including [...] Read more.
This study focused on assessing the extent of pollution in both flowing and non-flowing surface water within the Matjhabeng mining area of South Africa, with particular emphasis on the substantial impact of gold mine tailings. A comprehensive analysis of physical water-quality attributes, including potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and relevant pollution risk indices was undertaken. To comprehensively elucidate the potential risks to aquatic organisms and human health, a risk assessment framework predicated upon the source–pathway–receptor model was developed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed as a multivariate statistical tool to discern the potential origins of PTE contamination within the environment. The results substantiate pronounced pollution manifestations within the surface water milieu of the Matjhabeng mining area. Specifically, concentrations of critical PTEs, such as arsenic, cobalt, copper, iron, selenium, and zinc, exhibited transgressions of the regulatory thresholds stipulated by both the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment (CCME). Additionally, concentrations of the aforementioned elements exceeded the stipulated DWAF guidelines for irrigation water usage. Pollution indices, encompassing the Single-Factor Pollution Index and the Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index, discerned moderate contamination stemming from As, while remarkably elevated pollution levels were identified for selenium. PCA elucidated 94.5% of the aggregate variance, revealing cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc as coalescing within PC1, indicative of a common anthropogenic provenance that is conceivably linked to historical gold mine tailings. PC2 exhibited an aggregation of chromium, iron, and lead, reaffirming this shared anthropogenic etiology. The third PCA component was characterized by selenium, followed by arsenic and magnesium in the fourth. The resultant PTE contamination underscores a profound ecological and public health risk, impacting both the aquatic ecosystems and the local community within the precincts of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality (MLM) area, with consequential amplification of susceptibilities to deleterious health consequences. Urgent and concerted interventions are imperative to ameliorate the emergent decline in surface-water quality within the MLM locale. The adoption of nature-based remediation paradigms holds promise for efficaciously elevating water quality, ameliorating community health, and underpinning the long-term economic viability of the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Soil and Water Contamination)
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15 pages, 1000 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Groundwater Quality in Relation to Organic versus Mineral Fertilization
by Diana Cătălina Covaciu (Neamțu), Ana Claudia Balint, Călin Vasile Neamțu, Silvia Claudia Moșneag, Daniela Bordea, Sorina Dîrjan and Antonia Cristina Maria Odagiu
Water 2023, 15(16), 2895; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162895 - 11 Aug 2023
Viewed by 982
Abstract
Groundwater pollution is a threat to the environment and human health because it is an important source of drinking water. Groundwater is used to supply water to communities and pollution occurs when harmful substances and contaminants infiltrate into the groundwater. Through excessive use [...] Read more.
Groundwater pollution is a threat to the environment and human health because it is an important source of drinking water. Groundwater is used to supply water to communities and pollution occurs when harmful substances and contaminants infiltrate into the groundwater. Through excessive use of fertilizers, agriculture is a major contributor to groundwater pollution. This study tests the impact of organic and mineral fertilization on the groundwater physiochemical parameters and explores the potential consequences of using manure as fertilizer on groundwater nitrate pollution. The experiment was carried out in Satu Mare County, Romania, where both organic (manure) and mineral fertilizers were applied to potato cultures to test their impact on 18 physiochemical parameters of groundwater quality. Basic Statistics, Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI), and Principal Components Analysis were used for emphasizing the impact of mineral and organic fertilization on groundwater quality and relationships between analyzed groundwater parameters. The results show that groundwater corresponding to the site where the higher dose of organic fertilization was applied is characterized by nitrate concentrations (64.92 mg/L) and pH values (6.3 pH units) beyond the allowed limits. Based on the calculated NPI (2.21), it falls within the significant pollution category. Two principal factors were identified as having an impact on groundwater quality: fertilizer type and administered dose, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Soil and Water Contamination)
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13 pages, 1883 KiB  
Article
Selective Speciation of Inorganic Selenium [Se(IV)] in Water Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry after Solid Phase Extraction: Blood and Mokolo Rivers, South Africa
by Mmakoena Meldred Matjena, Richard M. Mampa and Abayneh Ataro Ambushe
Water 2023, 15(15), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152679 - 25 Jul 2023
Viewed by 783
Abstract
Selenium can either be essential or toxic depending on the concentration and oxidation state. In this study, the concentrations of inorganic selenium [Se(IV)] in water samples were determined in the presence of hexavalent selenium [Se(VI)} in water. Water samples were collected from ten [...] Read more.
Selenium can either be essential or toxic depending on the concentration and oxidation state. In this study, the concentrations of inorganic selenium [Se(IV)] in water samples were determined in the presence of hexavalent selenium [Se(VI)} in water. Water samples were collected from ten different sampling sites in Blood and Mokolo Rivers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A solid phase extraction (SPE) method with Dowex 1 × 2 resin (chloride form) as an adsorbent material was used to preconcentrate and separate Se(IV) selectively in the presence of Se(VI) in water samples. Concentrations of Se(IV) were quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ranged from 0.0411 to 0.820 µg/L and 0.135 to 2.79 µg/L in Blood and Mokolo Rivers, respectively. The presence of Se(IV) in water samples collected from Blood and Mokolo Rivers suggests that industrial and agricultural activities around these rivers have an impact on water quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Soil and Water Contamination)
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23 pages, 7091 KiB  
Article
Application of Machine Learning for Prediction and Monitoring of Manganese Concentration in Soil and Surface Water
by Cris Edward F. Monjardin, Christopher Power, Delia B. Senoro and Kevin Lawrence M. De Jesus
Water 2023, 15(13), 2318; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15132318 - 21 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1554
Abstract
This study explored the application of machine learning, specifically artificial neural network (ANN), to create prediction models for manganese (Mn) concentration in soil and surface water (SW) on the island province with two open mine pits overflowing to two major rivers that experienced [...] Read more.
This study explored the application of machine learning, specifically artificial neural network (ANN), to create prediction models for manganese (Mn) concentration in soil and surface water (SW) on the island province with two open mine pits overflowing to two major rivers that experienced mining disasters. The two ANN models were created to predict Mn concentrations in soil and SW from 12 and 14 input parameters for soil and SW, respectively. These input parameters were extracted from extensive field data collected at the site during sampling program in 2019, 2021, 2022, and initially processed with spatial analysis via geographic information system (GIS). All datasets were then divided for model training and validation, using 85% and 15% ratio, respectively. Performance evaluation of each model with mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) confirmed the accuracy of both models. The soil Mn model achieved MAPE and RMSE values of 2.01% and 23.98, respectively. The SW Mn model was split into two models based on SW Mn values within the 0–1 mg/L range and >1 mg/L range. The SW Mn model for >1 mg/L performed better with MAPE and RMSE of 4.61% and 0.17, respectively. Feature reduction was also conducted to identify how the models will perform if some input parameters were excluded. Result showed sufficient accuracy can still be obtained with the removal of 4–5 input parameters. This study and these models highlight the benefit of ANN to the scientific community and government units, for predicting Mn concentration, of similar environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Soil and Water Contamination)
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Review

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15 pages, 851 KiB  
Review
Review on the Use of Magnetic Nanoparticles in the Detection of Environmental Pollutants
by Kai Zhang, Xinlong Song, Meng Liu, Menghua Chen, Jie Li and Jinglong Han
Water 2023, 15(17), 3077; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15173077 - 28 Aug 2023
Viewed by 2393
Abstract
Magnetic nanomaterials (MNPs) have been widely used in the detection of pollutants in the environment because of their excellent nano effect and magnetic properties. These intrinsic properties of MNPs have diversified their application in environmental contaminant detection. In this paper, the research status [...] Read more.
Magnetic nanomaterials (MNPs) have been widely used in the detection of pollutants in the environment because of their excellent nano effect and magnetic properties. These intrinsic properties of MNPs have diversified their application in environmental contaminant detection. In this paper, the research status quo of the use of MNPs in detecting organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater and soil is reviewed. The preparation method and modification technology of magnetic nanoparticles are also described in detail. The application prospect of magnetic nanoparticle composites in the detection of contaminants in water and soil is discussed. Compared with traditional detection methods, MNPs are more accurate and efficient in pollutant enrichment. Moreover, the biological synthesis of MNPs was proven to be eco-friendly and aided in sustainable development. The study shows that MNPs have good application prospects in soil pollution detection, but the mechanism still needs to be investigated to realize their popularization and application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Soil and Water Contamination)
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