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The OVAM EmConSoil initiative, led by OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders), addresses the urgent issue of managing emerging contaminants (ECs) in soils and groundwater. This session was designed to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the unique challenges, innovative approaches, and collaborative solutions for assessing and mitigating ECs impacts on soil health, ecosystem sustainability and public safety.

Share your insights, pitch bold ideas, or lead a workshop at our upcoming ENSOr conference 13-14 October in Brussels. This year’s edition is about: Managing Emerging Contaminants for healthy soils: Are we ready?! Learn more about ENSOr and how to submit your abstract by 1st of September.

From wastewater to manure, pharmaceutical residues are quietly infiltrating our soils. This article explores how they behave, persist, and affect plant and environmental health—highlighting the urgent need for smarter monitoring and regulation. 

The latest OVAM report expands the list of PFAS-suspected activities—highlighting growing contamination risks across production, processing, product use, and waste management. Discover here which (industrial) activities could result in soil, groundwater and sediment contamination.

From pharmaceuticals to rubber antioxidants, emerging contaminants are everywhere. This comprehensive review dives into over than 400 contaminants detected in sewage sludge, biosolids and soils. Discover the auhtors’ valuable insights into their complexity, environmental fate and the urgent need for smarter detection and regulation

At the 2025 AquaConSoil conference in Liège, the EmConSoil initiative hosted an interactive session that dove deep into the questions: How do we prepare for contaminants that science is only beginning to understand? And what happens when legacy pollution meets updated standards and public concern? Learn more about the outcomes of this session. 

PFAS persistence in the environment has led to widespread contamination, affecting our drinking water, food, and air. PFAS removal from the environment remains a challenge. Current PFAS degradation methods include chemical- and photochemical-initiated oxidation and reductions processes, mechanical and base-assisted destruction and incineration, all of which produce fluorine waste. In this study, researchers developed a new technique to breakdown PFAS, whereby it not only breaks down these harmful chemicals but also recycles valuable fluorine, turning an environmental challenge into a sustainable solution.

Microplastics (MPs) are persistent pollutants formed from plastic degradation, with significant environmental impacts, particularly in soil ecosystems. Despite more MPs entering terrestrial environments than oceans, research on their biodegradation in soil remains limited. Certain microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, have shown potential in breaking down MPs, though degradation rates vary by plastic type. This study explores the use of bacteria Bacillus pasteurii in combination with the microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP is a technique that uses the metabolic action of microorganisms to produce CO32- which combines with free Ca2+ to form CaCO3 precipitation) technique to enhance MP degradation, aiming to provide insights for soil pollution management.

Risk governance aims to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment. It involves both regulatory actions (such as laws and directives) and voluntary measures taken by companies. Risk assessment, which combines hazard and exposure data, helps to prioritize chemical risks and assess the effectiveness of governance measures. Chemical regulations often require companies to provide detailed data on their substances, such as production volumes, potential exposure, and hazardous properties, based on high-purity reference standards. However, reference standards are not always available for all chemicals, especially for byproducts, metabolites, or lesser-known substances. The lack of available standards, such as for many PFAS chemicals, complicates risk assessment and regulatory enforcement.

Biochar is an eco-friendly material with strong adsorption properties, widely used for improving soil and water quality. It enhances soil conditions and supports microbial communities by increasing microbial abundance, improving nutrient content, and providing a suitable habitat. Biochar’s effects depend on various factors, such as the raw material used, application dose, pH, and pyrolysis temperature. It helps retain nutrients, reduces nutrient loss, and improves water retention. Biochar also promotes soil aggregation by supporting fungal and actinomycete growth, which aids in nitrogen cycling and other essential soil processes.