RT Journal Article
T1 Potentially Toxic Substances and Associated Risks in Soils Affected by Wildfires: A Review
A1 Fernández Marcos, María Luisa
K1 fire
K1 soil quality
K1 soil pollution
K1 heavy metals
K1 trace elements
K1 PAH
K1 pyrogenic compounds
K1 pyrogenic organic matter
K1 charcoal
K1 ash
K1 soil ecotoxicity
AB The presence of toxic substances is one of the major causes of degradation of soil quality. Wildfires, besides affecting various chemical, physical, and biological soil properties, produce a mixture of potentially toxic substances which can reach the soil and water bodies and cause harm to these media. This review intends to summarise the current knowledge on the generation by wildfires of potentially toxic substances, their effects on soil organisms, and other associated risks, addressing the effects of fire on metal mobilisation, the pyrolytic production of potentially toxic compounds, and the detoxifying effect of charcoal. Numerous studies ascertained inhibitory effects of ash on seed germination and seedling growth as well as its toxicity to soil and aquatic organisms. Abundant publications addressed the mobilisation of heavy metals and trace elements by fire, including analyses of total concentrations, speciation, availability, and risk of exportation to water bodies. Many publications studied the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other organic pollutants in soils after fire, their composition, decline over time, the risk of contamination of surface and ground waters, and their toxicity to plants, soil, and water organisms. Finally, the review addresses the possible detoxifying role of charcoal in soils affected by fire.
PB MDPI
YR 2022
FD 2022-01-11
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/35024
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/35024
LA eng
NO Fernandez-Marcos, M.L. Potentially Toxic Substances and Associated Risks in Soils Affected by Wildfires: A Review. Toxics 2022, 10, 31, doi:10.3390/toxics10010031
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026