The remediation of contaminated soils is probably one of the biggest environmental challenges, mainly due to the complex dynamics of the pollutants in this medium. Among a variety of treatment alternatives proposed for the in-situ remediation of contaminated soils, Fenton processes appear as the most cost-effective, particularly when catalyzed by native iron oxides. However, both the efficiency of the Fenton process and its effect on the treated soil, are largely dependent of the treatment conditions and the main characteristics of the soil, which implies the nonexistence of universal procedures. In this work, the use of Fenton processes in soil remediation routines is critically evaluated, emphasizing aspects related to the degradation efficiency, the influence of the soil properties, the degradation mechanisms and the impacts on the treated soil.
Keywords:
soil remediation; Fenton process; mineral iron
