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Ecotoxicology of Trace Elements on Ecosystems

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2025 | Viewed by 435

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, West Pomeranian University of Technology, 70-310 Szczecin, Poland
Interests: environmental impact assessment; distribution studies of pollutants in different environmental media; adverse effects of pollutants in environmental, aquatic and terrestrial, organisms; soil, sediments and water chemistry focused on interaction, degradation and speciation aspects of environmental contaminants; ecological monitoring; environmental management
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental toxicology, particularly concerning trace elements such as mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se), has profound implications for ecosystem health and biodiversity. This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary research that explores the biochemical and ecological consequences of heavy metal contamination in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It focuses on the interface of toxicology, biochemistry, and ecology to better understand how toxic elements disrupt biological systems and ecological balance.

By studying bioaccumulation in plants and animals, researchers can uncover the mechanisms through which trace metals impact the antioxidant systems in wildlife and influence ecosystem dynamics. This Special Issue also encourages research into novel biotechnological solutions and conservation strategies to mitigate the effects of heavy metals on the environment.

This Special Issue welcomes submissions in areas including but not limited to the following:

  • Ecological Toxicology: The effects of trace elements on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on bioaccumulation, toxicity thresholds, and species-specific responses.
  • Biochemistry of Contaminants: The biochemical pathways affected by toxic metals such as Hg and Se, particularly in relation to antioxidant systems in plants, mammals, birds, and aquatic species.
  • Environmental Impacts: Case studies that examine fish mortality or wildlife decline due to heavy metal contamination, such as recent incidents in rivers like the Oder.
  • Toxicokinetics: The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of trace elements in different species, and how these processes affect overall health and survival.
  • Comparative Ecotoxicology: Studies comparing the bioaccumulation and toxicological effects of heavy metals across different ecosystems and geographic regions, including selenium-deficient areas.
  • Environmental Biochemistry Solutions: Biotechnological and ecological strategies to reduce heavy metal contamination and its adverse effects on ecosystems.
  • Cross-Disciplinary Approaches: Research that combines ecology, toxicology, and biochemistry to address complex environmental problems.

Prof. Dr. Podlasińska Joanna
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecological toxicology
  • environmental biochemistry
  • trace elements (Hg, Se)
  • ecosystem resilience
  • aquatic and terrestrial pollution
  • biochemical responses to toxins
  • conservation biology

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 9084 KiB  
Article
Geochemical Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Urban Stream Sediments Draining into the Keban Dam Lake, Turkey
by Hatice Kara
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7565; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137565 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 230
Abstract
The present study investigates the extent and spatial distribution of metal concentration in stream sediments that flow into Keban Dam Lake, Turkey. Sediment samples were analysed for trace and potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Tl, Th, [...] Read more.
The present study investigates the extent and spatial distribution of metal concentration in stream sediments that flow into Keban Dam Lake, Turkey. Sediment samples were analysed for trace and potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Tl, Th, and U. Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were employed to assess contamination levels. Results reveal that Cr exhibited very high enrichment (EF = 15.95) in downstream urban samples, while Cu and Zn showed high enrichment in samples collected from the middle to lower reaches of the stream, probably indicating anthropogenic contributions. Most other elements, such as Pb, Tl, Th, and U, were within natural background levels. Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) indicate that Cr, Ni, and Cu may pose potential ecological risks, especially in samples from urban-influenced and downstream areas where concentrations exceed the Probable Effect Levels (PEL; Cr: 160 mg/kg, Ni: 42.8 mg/kg, Cu: 108 mg/kg). Multivariate statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and hierarchical clustering, reveal three distinct geochemical groupings. Among these, the most contaminated cluster—corresponding to midstream and downstream regions—is characterized by elevated Cu and Zn concentrations. Strong correlations among Cu–Zn, Ni–Cu, and Th–U suggest there is a combination of anthropogenic and lithogenic sources for most metals. While most sites showed low to moderate pollution, urban downstream locations exhibited significant metal accumulation, necessitating the region’s continued environmental monitoring and management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecotoxicology of Trace Elements on Ecosystems)
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