Research progress and prospects of soil remediation technologies for PPCPs pollution

The soil environment plays an indispensable role in maintaining ecosystem stability and supporting agricultural productivity. Due to the widespread use and improper disposal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), their accumulation in soils has become increasingly severe, thereby aggravating soil pollution. PPCPs are characterized by high mobility, strong biological toxicity, and persistence in the environment. They primarily enter the soil environment through sewage irrigation, manure application, and landfill, thereby posing potential risks to soil ecosystems and human health. To mitigate this emerging form of pollution, researchers have explored various physical, chemical, and biological remediation techniques for soils contaminated with PPCPs. However, owing to the complexity of soil matrices and the heterogeneity of pollutant properties, most of these techniques remain confined to laboratory studies or small-scale pilot trials. Based on this comprehensive review, this paper outlines the future development trends in the remediation of PPCP-contaminated soil, identifies critical scientific gaps and engineering bottlenecks, and proposes strategies for achieving efficient and sustainable remediation.