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Drawing on the expertise of researchers and professionals from around the globe, this volume focuses on providing a foundational framework for assessing the contamination of soil, surface water, and groundwater, and evaluating the human health risk factors of contamination. Chapters cover key topics such as the sources, types, and management of prevailing and emergent contaminants; site risk assessment strategies for contaminated land; the assessment of water security challenges; and scientific tools for site monitoring.

With eye-opening examples from a number of global case studies, the book explores the intersection of engineering practices, a conceptual understanding of contaminated sites, and technological advancements in site data sampling and monitoring. The intended readers of this book include experienced environmental professionals, remediation engineers, public health experts, and researchers and graduate students in the environmental field.

The World Scientific Series on Environmental Remediation aims to serve as an authoritative guide on a comprehensive range of topics, including environmental risk assessment, pollution management, and sustainable site remediation, as well as legal and regulatory aspects of contaminated sites.

Laureate Professor Ravi Naidu has been involved with contaminants research for over two decades and has gained advanced leadership and management experience in environmental sustainability throughout this period. Professor Naidu was awarded his BSc degree (in chemistry and mathematics) from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji, in 1975. The following year, he was appointed by the university as a lecturer in chemistry. He has an MSc degree in soil chemistry from the University of Aberdeen, UK, and the University of the South Pacific. In 1985, he completed his doctoral studies at Massey University, New Zealand, investigating lime–aluminium–phosphate interactions in soils. From 1985 to 1989, he was a senior lecturer in chemistry and dean of the School of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of the South Pacific. In 1989, Professor Naidu moved to CSIRO Land and Water in Adelaide, where he was quickly appointed chief research scientist, research group leader and leader of the Remediation of Contaminated Environments Program, as well as co-ordinator of the Restoring Contaminated Environments Component. While at CSIRO, he led the Sodic Soils Program and Soil Contamination and Remediation Program for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Soil and Land Management. Professor Naidu has co-authored more than 450 technical publications and co-edited 11 books in the field of soil and environmental sciences. Recognition of his contribution to environmental research has included Fellowships of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the New Zealand Society of Soil Science, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Soil Science Society of America. Two of his joint patents are now fully commercialised with remediation plants treating contaminated wastewater in three Australian states.

Dr Junaid Sadeque earned his PhD in geology from the University of Texas at Dallas, USA. He is a recognized subject matter expert in sequence stratigraphy and sedimentology with experience in both the petroleum and environmental sectors. As a senior stratigrapher at AECOM USA, Dr Sadeque plays a pivotal role in the application of sequence stratigraphic concepts for predicting preferential flow paths in groundwater aquifers and developing contamination remedial strategies. He has led several key projects developing conceptual site models for the US Department of Defence (DoD) over the last eight years. His strong background as a clastic stratigrapher at Chevron, USA for over a decade helps him bring fresh and innovative geology concepts to the environmental world. Throughout his career, he has taught many professional courses in the environmental industry related to contamination investigation and remediation.

Dr Alvin Lal is a research associate at the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation and crcCARE at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He has over 7 years of research and academic teaching experience. Originally from Fiji, he completed his PhD at the James Cook University (QLD, Australia). His PhD thesis focused on the development and application of groundwater modelling and management tools for the sustainable utilisation of groundwater resources in complex hydrological systems. His research expertise includes 3D groundwater numerical modelling (finite element and finite difference), groundwater quality monitoring and assessment, groundwater monitoring network design, multi-objective optimisation, and predictive data analytics. Recently, Dr Lal was invited to be a panel speaker at the Virtual UN Water Conference (March 2023). In addition, Dr Lal was one of the recipients of the prestigious James Cook University Dean's Award for Research Excellence in 2020. Before joining the University of Newcastle, Dr Lal was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. Dr Lal was also employed as a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji, from 2020 to 2021. AT USP, he developed the civil engineering program and helped establish hydrology, water resources and coastal engineering courses. Dr Lal is currently working on various groundwater modelling and remediation projects with collaborators from Australia, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the USA, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Kiribati. He has published several book chapters and journal articles and has presented at conferences across the globe. Dr Lal is also currently co-supervising several PhD students and involved in mentoring students at USP.