Introduction to the treatment of polluted sediments

摘要

This paper overviews the large variety of remediation options for polluted sediments that are currently available.These include physico-chemical and biological techniques that can be applied in situ or ex site.Polluted sediments are worldwide a serious environmental risk for human beings and ecosystems.Large volumes of polluted sediments have to be dredged for nautical or environmental reasons.When contaminated sediments are dredged major costs are involved for proper disposal or remediation of the sediment material.Due to these high costs the management of polluted sediments is a serious issue.Currently the management approach for these polluted sediments is strongly based on a risk based assessment strategy(Brils & Deckere 2003).Besides the reduction in environmental risks the various remediation options can offer to abate the problems caused by these sediments also their sus-tainability,technical and economical feasibility and social acceptability,have to be assessed.