What is the role of biocomposting in the remediation of contaminated soils

Mondo Health Updated on 2024-02-13

I. Introduction

With the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, the problem of soil pollution has become increasingly serious and has become the focus of global attention. Soil pollution not only poses a threat to ecosystems and human health, but also has a huge impact on agricultural production. Therefore, it has become a top priority to find effective soil remediation methods. As an environmentally friendly and sustainable soil remediation technology, biocomposting has attracted much attention in recent years. This article will detail the role of biocomposting in the remediation of contaminated soils.

Second, the principle of biological composting method

Biocomposting is a process that uses microorganisms to degrade organic pollutants by fermenting at high temperatures to convert organic waste into stable humus. This process consists of three phases: the warming phase, the high temperature maintenance phase, and the cooling phase. In the warming phase, microbial activity increases the compost temperature; In the high-temperature maintenance phase, microorganisms decompose organic matter into stable humus; During the cooling phase, microbial activity slows down and the compost temperature gradually decreases.

3. Application of biocomposting method in remediation of contaminated soil

1.Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil.

Heavy metal pollution is one of the common types of soil pollution and poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. The biocomposting method can reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals by converting them into low-toxic forms through the action of microorganisms. At the same time, the organic matter in the compost can be combined with heavy metals to form a stable compound, reducing the migration and bioavailability of heavy metals.

2.Remediation of organic contaminated soils.

Organic pollution is another common type of soil pollution, including pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. Biocomposting can use the degradation of microorganisms to convert organic pollutants into harmless or low-toxicity substances. In the composting process, microorganisms decompose organic pollutants into harmless substances such as carbon dioxide and water through their own metabolic activities, reducing the biological toxicity of organic pollutants.

4 Advantages and limitations of biocomposting in contaminated soil remediation

1.Advantage.

As an environmentally friendly and sustainable soil remediation technology, biocomposting has the following advantages:

1) The use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants without secondary pollution;

2) It can convert organic waste into stable humus and realize the resource utilization of waste;

3) It can reduce the biological toxicity and migration of pollutants and improve soil quality;

4) Compared with traditional remediation methods, the biocomposting method is less costly and simple to operate.

2.Limitations.

Although biocomposting has significant advantages in contaminated soil remediation, there are some limitations:

1) The degradation rate of microorganisms is slow, and it takes a long time to achieve the ideal repair effect;

2) For some heavy metals and refractory organic pollutants, the remediation effect of biocomposting method is limited;

3) In practical application, it is necessary to consider the greenhouse gas emissions that may be generated during the composting process.

5. Future prospects and research directions

In order to better play the role of biocomposting in the remediation of contaminated soil, future research should focus on the following aspects:

1.To understand the mechanism of action of different microbial populations in the composting process, and provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the composting process;

2.Research and development of microbial agents that efficiently degrade specific pollutants to improve the remediation efficiency of biocomposting;

3.explore the joint application of biocompost and other soil remediation technologies to achieve complementary advantages;

4.Carry out large-scale practical application case studies to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of biocomposting;

5.Pay attention to the greenhouse gas emissions in the process of biocomposting, and formulate corresponding emission reduction measures.

VI. Conclusions

As an environmentally friendly and sustainable soil remediation technology, biocomposting has significant effects in the remediation of heavy metal and organic contaminated soils. Through the degradation of microorganisms, the biological toxicity and mobility of pollutants can be reduced, and soil quality can be improved. However, there are still some limitations in the application of biocomposting, such as slow degradation rate and limited effect on some refractory pollutants. In order to overcome these limitations, future research should delve into the microbial mechanisms in the composting process, optimize the development and application of microbial inoculants, explore joint applications with other remediation technologies, and conduct large-scale practical application case studies. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the issue of greenhouse gas emissions in the biocomposting process. Through these efforts, the role of biocomposting in the remediation of contaminated soil can be further brought into play, and contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development.

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