Remediation of Soils Contaminated by Pesticides Using Physicochemical Processes: a Brief Review

ABSTRACT: After years of pesticide application, often indiscriminately, damage has been caused to the environment, as well as to agronomic crops grown in contaminated areas. In water treatment, techniques based on physical and/or physicochemical processes are used, being formed secondary oxidizing agents responsible for the mineralization of contaminants present in the herbicides, thus causing the degradation process. However, few studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of these techniques in soils. The aim of this study was to review the existing studies, presenting the main techniques used for remediation of soils contaminated with pesticides. Emphasis was placed on electrokinetics, advanced oxidative processes, soil washing, chemical or solvent extraction, and combinations of these methods. According to the results of several studies, the combination of techniques, such as electrokinetics and soil washing processes, allows achieving a high efficiency when it is applied for the degradation of agricultural contaminants. The combination of electrolysis with other methods, such as the Fenton’s reagent, ultrasound irradiation, and UV light, also present satisfactory results in removing pesticides in soil treatment. However, Fenton technology used alone is the most promising of the assessed techniques since it can be used for the remediation of several contaminants, especially pesticides, not harming the environment and allowing soil recovery.