Research on environmental aspects of retention/release of pollutants in soils and sorbents. What should be next?

• Published in: Environmental research 2024-06, Vol.251 (Pt 1), p.118593, Article 118593
• Main Author: Núñez-Delgado, Avelino
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Artificial Intelligence; Desorption; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Soil; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Sorbents
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118593

Although studies dealing with adsorption/desorption (and/or retention/release) of pollutants present in environmental compartments is a classical field of research, recent papers are focusing on some weak points of investigations and publications within the area. In addition, an increasing number of works are being published related to new possibilities and alternatives in this kind of research works, many of them in relation to the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Considering the existence of eventual controversies, eventual mistakes, and the convenience of suggesting alternatives to go ahead in the future, in this work, after taking into account some relevant publications in the previous literature, a simple workflow is proposed as a kind of protocol to revise successive steps that could guide the direction to follow when programing research dealing with the retention/release of pollutants in soils and sorbent materials. [Display omitted] •Recent papers show weak points of publications on pollutants adsorption/desorption.•Increasing works on the use of artificial intelligence in this kind of research.•A protocol is proposed to guide programing research on pollutants retention/release.