Discover how healthy soil is the basis for a livable city and cleaner industrial zones
 

Urban and industrial areas hide an invisible force: the soil beneath our feet. Often overlooked, it is vital to our living environment Urban and industrial soils face considerable challenges, such as compaction, various pollutants, drought or, on the other hand, flooding.

Why soil health is essential for improving urban and industrial living environments:

  1. In combination with urban green spaces, soil forms the city's green lungs, improving air quality and liveability.
  2. It contributes to smart water management: a healthy urban soil has better water absorption.
  3. Soil is a source of degraders and that can also be used in combination with specific vegetation as a remediation system for cleaning up pollutants in soil & water in urban areas (phytoremediation).
  4. Soil combined with vegetation can be used to reduce the impact of industrial emmisions (water corridors / industrial nature).

Urban or industrial microbiome: understanding soil resilience

Soil in urban and industrial areas contains a complex community of micro-organisms such as bacteria, archaea and fungi. We call this the microbiome. The microbiome of these areas is very unique and, when given the opportunity, shows surprising adaptability to often difficult conditions.

Bioclear earth: pioneers in soil microbiome research

In order to gain a more in-depth understanding of the complexities inherent in the urban soil microbiome, Bioclear earth employs state-of-the-art DNA technology. Utilising Next Generation Sequencing data and its subsequent interpretation, we are able to provide detailed insights into the impact of urban development and industrial activities on soil health and resilience. Moreover, these insights are then used to provide expert advice on sustainable management practices and monitoring.

Sustainable urban development and European legislation

The new European Soil Health Directive also focuses on improving soil and (ground) water quality to make urban and industrial areas more sustainable. It also aims to identify contaminated sites and reduce soil contamination to levels that are safe for human health and ecosystems.

By leveraging the potential of the soil microbiome within the framework of the new European legislation, we can work towards goals such as:

  • Transform contaminated urban soils into healthy, vibrant ecosystems that are safe for humans and animals.
  • Increasing the resilience of cities to climate change
  • Minimising the impact of industrial pollution by creating natural buffer zones.

Get in touch

Do you want to know how NGS data can contribute to sustainable urban development and industrial activities? Then get in touch with Bioclear earth.

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