ABSTRACT
Near-constant growth of the world economy has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in contaminated sites and degraded lands. In North America and Western Europe alone, there are over 300,000 and 400,000 contaminated sites, respectively.[1] The range of contaminants polluting these sites is broad and consists of both organic and inorganic compounds, many of which are mobile within the soil profile and thus pose a threat to underlying groundwater and to surrounding environments. The negative effects these sites have on agricultural production and human health results in lowered economic growth and reduced quality of life. Mitigation of these negative effects is therefore imperative.
