ABSTRACT
Soil is becoming a major source of toxic metal(loid)s, which reaches the food chain mainly through plant uptake and animal transfer. Large quantities of biowastes, such as crop residues, manure compost, biosolids, and municipal solid wastes, can be used as a source of nutrients and also as a conditioner to improve the soil physicochemical properties. Globally, large quantities of biowastes such as plant residues, biosolids, and animal manures are produced. Those biowastes that are low in toxic substances can be used to remediate metal(loid) contaminated soils by reducing bioavailability of the metal(loid)s. This chapter describes sources of biowastes and the mechanisms involved in the remediation of toxic metal(loid)s by biowastes, and discusses the practical implications in reducing bioavailability of metal(loid)s in soils.
