From sources to solutions: An integrated framework for industrial risk assessment, subsurface contaminant dynamics, and Nature-Based remediation from RemTech Europe 2024.

Abstract

Effective territorial preservation and contaminated site management require an integrated, multi-scale framework that bridges macroeconomic tracking with site-specific physics, chemical forensics, and biotechnology. Within this framework, this Brief Communication synthesizes seven key advancements discussed at RemTech Europe 2024. Environmental assessments presented during the meeting span from the macro-regional level with soil pollution inventories in the Western Balkans to localized atmospheric Natural-Hazard Triggered Technological Accidents (NaTech) risk modeling for industrial facilities. At the subsurface scale, the dynamic interplay of groundwater table fluctuations controls light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) migration, while hydrogeological fingerprinting isolates distinct anthropogenic PFAS sources. Addressing these complex matrices, biotechnological assessments elucidate how emerging graphene-related nanomaterials interact with biodegradative enzymes to evaluate targeted biodegradation pathways. Finally, the scale transitions to nature-based engineering solutions, utilizing urban green gutters for stormwater retention and quantifying the long-term recovery of ecosystem services through spontaneous quarry revegetation. The integration of modeling, forensic analysis, biotechnologies, and nature-based solutions provides actionable insights for environmental risk management and sustainable land-use planning. Ultimately, this collective evidence offers regulators and stakeholders an operational roadmap to accelerate the transition from hazard identification to scale-appropriate, climate-resilient remediation strategies.