Chemical remediation technologies

Environmental pollution remains one of the most serious world problems. Great efforts are made to limit the release of harmful compounds into the environment, and a variety of methods for remediation of soil, surface water, and groundwater have been developed over the years. Chemical remediation technologies are of great interest since they can remove and degrade pollutants in contaminated sites. This paper focuses on several chemical remediation technologies, such as precipitation, flocculation, adsorption and ion exchange, chemical oxidation, soil washing and flushing, and electrokinetic remediation. Remediation technologies are almost always combined one with another, although they can be used separately. Choosing an appropriate technology will depend on the type of the pollutants and site conditions, and it should be done in such a manner so that the most cost-effective and efficient technology is chosen. Even though some of the technologies are used full-scale, research should be focused on enhancing the existing, and developing new remediation technologies.