Current knowledge from heavy metal pollution in Chinese smelter contaminated soils, health risk implications and associated remediation progress in recent decades: A critical review

The increasing generation of toxic heavy metals from smelting activities poses significant threat to food safety, human health, and soil ecosystem, due to their unacceptable exposure risks and long term persistence. As a consequence, heavy metals in soils surrounding smelting areas are often known as causative contaminants for site remediation. According to an extensive review of the scientific literature (2010-2020), this study investigated the current pollution situation of heavy metals in soils near Chinese nonferrous metal smelters. Then, their main source approaches and health risk implications for soil remediation were discussed in detail. It should be noted that, inaccurate risk information would result in high remediation costs and unintended interventions. In addition, recent remediation progress for smelter contaminated sites were mainly introduced. By contrast, limited novel remediation approaches are currently available for stakeholders. Important considerations regarding site remediation technologies were further pointed out to highlight research gaps. Thus, more innovative studies need to be conducted for remediation enhancement of smelter sites. Lastly, this review concluded with an outlook of future research directions, which was expected be great helpful for the broad spectrum of researchers in this field. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The increasing generation of toxic heavy metals from smelting activities poses a significant threat to food safety, human health, and soil ecosystem. Remediation of heavy metals in soils near smelting areas is necessary to address the risks to human health and the environment.