The impact of human activities on soil contamination is becoming a worldwide problem. As the human population continues growing, environmental quality and human health are becoming increasingly important. The study of contaminated soils has emerged as an important frontier in environmental research. Several activities such as agriculture, mining, and industrial facilities are contributing to the process of soil contamination. The resource consumption and chemical emissions, besides the waste disposal with hazard material, are the main sources of contamination.

In order to better understand the bioavailability, dynamic, transport, and degradation of soil pollutants we are inviting authors to submit original research as well as review articles. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Availability and fractionation of heavy metals in soils
• Pesticides and living organisms
• Effects of soil microbes on the fate and transport of toxic compounds
• Contaminated areas surrounded with factories and industries
• Threshold levels of heavy metals in soil
• Groundwater contamination
• Soil contamination by radionuclides

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aess/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: