Preface

This edited volume is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters concerning developments in soil contamination. It includes scholarly contributions written by various authors and edited by a group of experts in the field. It is designed for scholars and specialists in the field.

The book contains nine chapters. Chapter 1, "Biochar Application for Soil Quality Improvement: An Overview", reviews the potential of biochar to enhance soil quality attributes, particularly those pertaining to soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. Chapter 2, "Perspective Chapter: Sample Preparation Techniques for Electrochemical Analysis of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Environmental and Food Samples", describes the steps involved in preparing samples for electrochemical analysis. Chapter 3, "Influence of Sewage Sludge and Heavy Fertilization on Nitrate Leaching in Soils: An Overview", focuses on various factors that affect nitrate leaching in soil, including soil texture, rate of fertilization, season, and climate. It also presents strategies to reduce nitrate leaching and examines the nitrogen conversion mechanism in sewage sludge. Chapter 4, "Occurrence, Bioaccumulation and Effects of Legacy and Emerging Brominated Retardants in Earthworms", deals with the transfer processes of emerging brominated flame retardants in earthworms, as well as the potential trophic biomagnification. Chapter 5, "Ecological Risk Index, Implications, and its Bioconcentration Ratio in Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals", focuses on the implications and consequences that heavy metals cause. Chapter 6, "Effect of the Degree of Soil Contamination with Cd, Zn, Cu and Zn on Its Content in the Forder Crops and Mobility in the Soil Profile", describes the correlation between the amount of leached metals and the level of soil contamination. Chapter 7, "Investigating Bacterial Communities Resistant to Heavy Metal and PAHs Pollutants in the Persian Gulf and Their Ability to Remove These Compounds (a Review)", reviews studies conducted on isolating and identifying native bacteria and evaluating their ability to remove heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Persian Gulf. Chapter 8, "Bacterial Assisted Phytoremediation", explores the interaction between bacteria, plants, and various pollutants in various ecosystems. Chapter 9, "Perspective Chapter: Can Natural Attenuation be Considered as an Effective Solution for Soil Remediation?" discusses the principle of this technology, the role of the living actors and the interactions between plant, fauna, and microorganisms, the advantages and disadvantages of the technique, and the efficiency of this technique in comparison with other techniques such as phytoremediation and bioremediation.

**IntechOpen Team**

### **Chapter 1**
