1. Historical survey of the site

In industrialized regions, concentrations of metal pollutants in soils have been rising for many years, sometimes to the point of seriously affecting their quality and function. This is due in particular to atmospheric emissions from the metallurgical industry, but also to all kinds of anthropogenic activities, such as the weathering of building materials, urban heating, motorized traffic and land reclamation (fills or topsoil). Added to this are agricultural practices, with massive use of fertilizers (inorganic, organic, sewage sludge spreading) and plant protection products, as well as the use of potentially polluted irrigation water, all of which contribute to diffuse soil contamination. This enrichment in metallic pollutants in soils is highly variable in time and space, and can give rise not only to environmental risks, but also to health risks for populations, particularly those living...