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Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution...
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Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution Assessment and Management

A special issue of Environments (ISSN 2076-3298).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2025 | Viewed by 2821

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giancarlo Renella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Agripolis Campus, University of Padua, Legnaro, 35020 Padua, Italy
Interests: trace metals; soil chemistry; soil–plant interface; environmental functional ge-nomics; recycle and reuse of sediments in agriculture
Dr. Xudong Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Environment, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China
Interests: trace metals; thallium; metal isotope; risk assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Trace metals occur in very small amounts (trace amounts) in the environment. These metals are naturally present in rocks, soil, water, and organisms, but human activities such as mining, industrial processes, agriculture, and urbanization can significantly increase their concentrations and diffusion in the environment. Trace metals released into the air, water, and soil can be accumulated in ecosystems, affecting plants, animals, and microorganisms. While some trace metals such as zinc, molybdenum, cobalt, and vanadium are essential for living organisms, others like thallium, arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium have no known physiological activity and have toxic effects by inhibiting fundamental biochemical reactions in plants, fauna, and microorganisms. Trace metals can enter the food chain through contaminated water, soil, and crops with potential impacts on human health and on biodiversity. Efforts to mitigate trace metal pollution include improving industrial practices to reduce emissions, implementing stricter environmental regulations, employing remediation technologies to clean up contaminated sites, and promoting sustainable land use practices.

The Special Issue, "Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution Assessment and Management", aims to gather research focusing on trace metals in various environments. We look forward to the submission of papers that attend to the following topics: (i) refining analytical methods for detecting trace metals in various environmental matrices (such as air, water, soil, and sediments), (ii) conducting comprehensive assessments of trace metal pollution in different environmental settings, and (iii) developing and proposing sustainable management and remediation strategies for mitigating trace metal pollution. This Special Issue will provide valuable insights into the fate and possible remediation methods of trace metals in the environment. We invite authors to submit papers that will enhance our understanding of detection techniques, pollution assessment, and the management of trace metals in the environment.

Prof. Dr. Giancarlo Renella
Dr. Xudong Wei
Guest Editors

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. Environments is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1800 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

  • trace metals
  • detection techniques
  • environmental pollution
  • metal mobility
  • metal bioavailability
  • risk assessment
  • environmental toxicology
  • ecological effects
  • metal remediation and recycling
  • sustainable management

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3271 KiB  
Article
Integration of Mosses (Funaria hygrometrica) and Lichens (Xanthoria parietina) as Native Bioindicators of Atmospheric Pollution by Trace Metal Elements in Mediterranean Forest Plantations
by Malek Bousbih, Mohammed S. Lamhamedi, Mejda Abassi, Damase P. Khasa and Zoubeir Bejaoui
Environments 2025, 12(6), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12060191 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 496
Abstract
Atmospheric emissions of industrial-origin trace metals are a major environmental problem that negatively affects air quality and the functioning of forest ecosystems. Traditional air quality monitoring methods require investments in equipment and infrastructure. Indeed, it is difficult to measure most of these pollutants [...] Read more.
Atmospheric emissions of industrial-origin trace metals are a major environmental problem that negatively affects air quality and the functioning of forest ecosystems. Traditional air quality monitoring methods require investments in equipment and infrastructure. Indeed, it is difficult to measure most of these pollutants because their concentrations usually occur at very low levels. However, this study explores an ecological approach for low-cost air quality biomonitoring that is based on native biological indicators in the context of the Mediterranean basin. This study aims (i) to evaluate the lichen species composition, diversity, and distribution across three distinct forest sites; (ii) investigate the relationship between lichen species richness and proximity to the pollution source; and (iii) evaluate heavy metal bioaccumulation using a moss species (Funaria hygrometrica) and a lichen species (Xanthoria parietina) as bioindicators of atmospheric pollution. High concentrations of toxic metals were observed along the transect and closer to the pollutant source with marked interspecies variability. X. parietina exhibited high bioaccumulation potential for most toxic metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Ni) compared to F. hygrometrica with concentrations varying across the three sites, reaching maximum dry-mass values of 6289 µg/g for Fe at the first site and 226 µg/g for Zn at Site 3. Our results suggest that X. parietina can be used as a potential bioindicator for long-term spatial biomonitoring of air quality by determining atmospheric toxic metals concentrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution Assessment and Management)
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22 pages, 1386 KiB  
Article
Propolis: Biological Activity and Its Role as a Natural Indicator of Pollution in Mining Areas
by Mirel Glevitzky, Mihai Teopent Corcheş, Maria Popa, Ioana Glevitzky and Mihaela Laura Vică
Environments 2025, 12(4), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12040105 - 30 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 595
Abstract
Pollution in mining areas represents a major environmental issue, significantly impacting ecosystems and human health. This study highlights propolis as an efficient natural bioindicator for detecting and assessing the degree of contamination in these areas. The objective of this study is to determine [...] Read more.
Pollution in mining areas represents a major environmental issue, significantly impacting ecosystems and human health. This study highlights propolis as an efficient natural bioindicator for detecting and assessing the degree of contamination in these areas. The objective of this study is to determine the levels of metals (Pb, Cd, As, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) in propolis from mining exploitation areas in Romania, specifically in the counties of Alba, Hunedoara, Maramureș, and Caraș-Severin. Although mining operations are closed, the anthropogenic impact varies due to differences in the surface areas of the zones affected, the areas occupied by waste heaps, local hydrological conditions, and partial ecological rehabilitation efforts. To highlight the impact of contamination, a reference area considered unaffected by anthropogenic activities was used as a benchmark for each county. The values obtained in the investigated area were compared with those from this control zone to determine the differences and the specific impact of pollution. Maximum values were recorded in Roșia Montană for Pb (9.27 mg·kg−1), Cd (0.17 mg·kg−1), and As (0.87 mg·kg−1); in Băile Borșa for Fe (150.23 mg·kg−1) and Zn (2.9 mg·kg−1); in Certeju de Sus for Cu (6 mg·kg−1) and Cr (7.01 mg·kg−1); and in Moldova Nouă for Mn (25.43 mg·kg−1). The maximum content values of phenols (189.49 mg·kg−1 in Alba County) and flavonoids (88.06 mg·kg−1 in Caraș-Severin) were recorded, as well as the minimum IC50 antioxidant activity (0.33 µg·mL−1). Propolis from these areas showed antimicrobial activity against five bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus mutans) and five fungal strains (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Penicillium chrysogenum), although such antimicrobial and antifungal activities were more intense in unpolluted areas. The present study reveals that propolis is a natural indicator of heavy metal pollution in mining areas. These data support the usefulness of propolis due to its high capacity to accumulate and reflect environmental contaminants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution Assessment and Management)
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13 pages, 1580 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Environmental Contamination by Metals Using Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Hair as a Biomonitor: An Appraisal
by Luca Canova, Federica Maraschi, Antonella Profumo and Michela Sturini
Environments 2024, 11(12), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11120281 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1035
Abstract
This study assessed environmental metal and metalloids (TE) levels using hair of Apodemus sylvaticus as a non-lethal biomonitor. TE decreased as follows: Zn > Al > Fe > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > Mn > Cd > Se > As [...] Read more.
This study assessed environmental metal and metalloids (TE) levels using hair of Apodemus sylvaticus as a non-lethal biomonitor. TE decreased as follows: Zn > Al > Fe > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > Mn > Cd > Se > As > Hg; TE widely distributed in soils as Zn, Al, Fe, and Cu, are more abundant than those of ecotoxicological interest, such as Cd, Se, As and Hg. Cd, Pb, Cu, and Cr concentrations are highly variable, while Zn, Fe, and Mn are less variable. TE in hair are below the threshold levels in soil and decrease the same way in both sexes. Concentrations in soil and hair are significantly related, and their level can be modulated both by homeostatic control of essential metals and absorbance from the soil by keratin. Slight differences in Ni and Cr can be related to the differing behaviour of males and females during reproduction. A scarce tendency toward mercury bioaccumulation has been observed in both sex and age classes; from an ecological point of view, these data suggest that the species is a primary consumer, feeding more on the leaves and seeds than on small invertebrates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trace Metals in the Environment: Advances in Detection Techniques, Pollution Assessment and Management)
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