There is a clear need for the remediation of contaminated soils to restore the loss of soil functionality that contamination can cause. Pollution often negatively affects the growth and development of vegetation resulting in a reduction in productivity and its ability to act as a CO₂ sink. Metals and metalloids may also enter the food chain via crops grown on contaminated soil, posing a risk to human health. In addition, contaminants in soils can be leached or transported by runoff into ground and surface waters. The European Union (EU) has set out several sustainability guidelines and goals in the context of soil remediation such as those toward Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and Zero Waste. The NBS guidelines promote nature-friendly techniques for the remediation of contaminated soils such as the application of organic and inorganic amendments. The Zero Waste strategy aims for zero waste emissions with a key focus being on the reuse of by-products. This Research Topic aims to bring these two EU guidelines together.

This Research Topic calls for submissions on the remediation of metal- and metalloid-contaminated soils via the application of amendments made from both organic and inorganic by-products. The aim is to learn about the use of by-product amendments, and new and effective ways of applying them. Contributions should focus on how by-product amendments are able to reduce the available concentrations of metals and metalloids in the soil. Effects on soil parameters are also of interest such as pH, soil organic carbon, or cation exchange capacity. Synergies between different amendments or between amendments and phytoremediation are also welcome.

We welcome original research submissions including but not limited to the following topics:

- studies on the use of by-product amendments to reduce metal and metalloid contamination in different types of soil (eg agricultural, mine-degraded, brownfield, and industrial soils)
- organic by-products can include compost, biochar, hydrochar, vermicompost, and vermichar
- inorganic by-products can include those derived from mining or other industries eg, dunite, magnesita, and clay materials
- comparisons on the effectiveness of using different by-product amendments for soil remediation
- the effect of by-product amendments on soil parameters, eg, pH, soil organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity
- new or improved strategies for applying by-product amendments to reduce metal and metalloid contamination
- studies that combine phytoremediation (phytoextraction or phytostabilization) with by-product amendments.

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Frontiers in Environmental Science

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