Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are synthetic compounds that have innate protection from environmental degradations, and are thus, ecologically persistent. They can be purposefully delivered and utilized in horticulture, pest control, and industrial manufacturing. Likewise, they can be unintentionally introduced from industrial procedures and from waste incineration, tobacco smoke, vehicular exhaust, and petroleum exploitation, for example. These substances are of concern because of their potential to be transported over long periods, their capacity to bio-amplify in biological systems, and their negative consequences for human wellbeing and the environment. In humans, regenerative, formative, neurologic, oncogenic, endocrine, and immunologic antagonistic health impacts have been all been linked to POPs.

Important classes of POPs include groups of chlorinated (and brominated) aromatics such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and-furans (PCDD/Fs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), petroleum contaminates, and different organochlorine pesticides (i.e., DDT and its metabolites, toxaphene, chlordane, etc.). Despite imposing bans on the use of certain pesticides, many are still applied illegally. Emerging pollutants, i.e., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluorooctane sulfonate, polychlorinated n-alkanes, and microplastics have also gained significant attention.

Soil frameworks appear to be one of the most important sinks for POPs and can be used as an indicator for the degree of environmental contamination. Apart from this, the POPs present in soil dust can often reenter the atmosphere and this may result in increased exposure of POPs to the urban population, especially commuters.

Discussion and cutting-edge technological advancement are needed to tackle the threat posed by POPs in the environment with special attention to POPs in soil. Studies on their fate, transport, health hazards from exposure (risk simulation), and various remediation technologies of POPs can be the path towards the solution. This Research Topic is intended to provide a window to the latest developments in the following areas:

• Ecotoxicology and risk assessment of POPs (including contaminants of emerging concern) in soil and sediments.
• Biological processes for POPs removal (biosorption, bioremediation, and elucidation of biodegradation pathways).
• Nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and chemical oxidation technology in the remediation of persistent organic pollutants.
• Significance of interactions between microplastics and POPs.
• Modelling environmental fate and transport of POPs in soil from high vehicular density and industrial areas (i.e., pollution due to POPs from vehicular exhaust and occupational exposure to POPs).

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