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Review
. 2024 Aug 23;46(10):392.
doi: 10.1007/s10653-024-02179-w.

A 6-year review status on soil pollution in coal mining areas from Europe

Abdulmannan Rouhani  1 , Robert Ato Newton  2 , Karim Suhail Al Souki  2 , Giacomo Quattrini  3 , Mariusz Z Gusiatin  4
Affiliations
Review

A 6-year review status on soil pollution in coal mining areas from Europe

Abdulmannan Rouhani et al. Environ Geochem Health. .

Abstract

Coal is an essential component in achieving the goal of fulfilling the energy demands of the world. Nevertheless, the extensive practice of coal mining has resulted in environmental contamination through the release of both organic and inorganic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic compounds and potentially toxic elements, into various mediums, notably soil. The escalating coal-mining activities across Europe have amplified the concentration of specific elements in the soil. Therefore, a thorough and meticulous assessment of these environmental impacts is imperative to furnish policymakers, industries, and communities with valuable insights, facilitating the formulation and adoption of effective mitigation strategies. Considering the results of studies from 2018 to 2023, this review thoroughly evaluates the current state of soil pollution in the coal mining areas of Europe, focusing on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and potentially toxic elements. By analyzing the acquired data, this study aims to evaluate the levels of contamination by these pollutants in soils. The findings reveal that low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominate the polycyclic aromatic compounds present, while potentially toxic elements including Zn, Pb, Mn, and Cr emerge as major contributors to soil contamination in coal mining areas from Europe.

Keywords: Coal mining; Polycyclic aromatic compounds; Potentially toxic elements; Soil pollution.

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