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Phytoremediation is the process that uses plants to remove pollutants from soils. These pollutants are stored in the edible parts of plants and, if they are consumed above a certain level, they become a health risk for humans and animals. This book is a critical review of phytoremediation, its direct or indirect effects on food products, and the risks posed by this cost-effective technology in food safety. It shows how different plants are suited for phytoremediation, explains the role of toxicants in the environment, and analyses their effects and risks in the food chain at a global level. It also reviews the extraction methods of toxicants from plants after they are exposed to phytoremediation.Features: Summarizes the phytoremediation technology for effective remediation Describes different types of pollutants in soils that render food products useless Identifies the role of phytoremediation in the environment and its advantages and disadvantages Explains the role of phytoexclusion and phytostabilization in foods and food safety Includes many case studies to describe the extraction protocols in postharvest for food safety This book is intended for practitioners in public and private companies involved in soil remediation and food production, as well as graduate students and academics, in both developed and developing countries, who are involved in soil and environmental sciences, the food industry, agriculture, and biotechnology.

Create your own compost and grow better plants. With breathtaking clarity, Compost Science for Gardeners demystifies composting practices and helps readers determine the best technique for their unique situation. This comprehensive science-based book is your key to building healthier soil and growing better plants. Using plain language and easy-to-follow instructions, this essential resource distills and blends the latest scientific research with the author's many decades of knowledge and experience into manageable form, debunking a host of common gardening myths along the way. Learn about: The role of composting in the ecological cycle Compostable materials to incorporate and those to avoid Browns and greens vs the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio The full range of composting methods, including cold and hot composting; composting in piles, bins, and tumblers; and pit and trench composting Keyhole gardening, food digesters, vermicomposting, bokashi, eco-enzyme fermentation, and more The relative merits and impact on the environment of each composting technique Using finished compost to improve soil health Anyone can compost. Whether you are a balcony or backyard gardener, market gardener, small-scale farmer, or homesteader, or even if you are simply looking for a way to keep organic matter out of the landfill, this book will show you how to do it simply, safely, and sensibly.

Today, 20 percent of the global food supply relies on urban agriculture: social-ecological systems shaped by both human and non-human interactions. This book shows how urban agroecologists measure flora and fauna that underpin the ecological dynamics of these systems, and how people manage and benefit from these systems. It explains how the sociopolitical landscape in which these systems are embedded can in turn shape the social, ecological, political, and economic dynamics within them. Synthesizing interdisciplinary approaches in urban agroecology in the natural and social sciences, the book explores methodologies and new directions in research that can be adopted by scholars and practitioners alike. With contributions from researchers utilizing both social and natural science approaches, Urban Agroecology describes the current social-environmental understandings of the science, the movement and the practices in urban agroecology. By investigating the role of agroecology in cities, the book calls for the creation of spaces for food to be sustainably grown in urban spaces: an Urban Agriculture (UA) movement. Essential reading for graduate students, practitioners, policy makers and researchers, this book charts the course for accelerating this movement.