Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation, and Detection Techniques

A special issue of Journal of Xenobiotics (ISSN 2039-4713).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 417

Special Issue Editor

Anhui Province Engineering Research Center for Mine Ecological Remediation, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Interests: environmental geochemistry; mine environmental engineering; ecological geology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal pollution poses a critical threat to ecosystems and human health due to its persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Understanding the environmental behavior of heavy metals—from their release into ecosystems to their long-term impacts—is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies. This Special Issue, "Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation and Detection Techniques", invites researchers to contribute cutting-edge studies that address the dynamic pathways and ecological risks of heavy metals and innovative methods for their detection in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric systems.

We welcome original research, reviews, and case studies focusing on the following. Migration Mechanisms: investigations into the transport pathways of heavy metals across environmental matrices, including soil–water interactions, atmospheric deposition, and biogeochemical cycling. Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicity: studies on metal uptake by biota, trophic transfer dynamics, and ecotoxicological impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Advanced Detection and Monitoring: novel analytical techniques (e.g., spectroscopy, biosensors, nanomaterials) and modeling approaches for the real-time tracking and predictive analysis of metal contamination. Remediation and Risk Management: sustainable strategies for metal immobilization, phytoremediation, and policy frameworks to reduce environmental exposure. Emerging Challenges: the impacts of climate change, industrial activities, and urbanization on metal mobilization and distribution.

Dr. Liugen Zheng
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • heavy metal contamination
  • environmental fate
  • migration mechanisms
  • bioaccumulation
  • detection techniques
  • ecotoxicity
  • remediation strategies
  • pollution monitoring
  • risk assessment
  • climate change impacts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 11794 KB  
Article
Heavy Metals Environmental Fate in Metallurgical Solid Wastes: Occurrence, Leaching, and Ecological Risk Assessment
by Shuqin Li and Guohua Ni
J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15(6), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15060211 - 15 Dec 2025
Abstract
The metallurgical industry generates substantial amounts of heavy metal-containing solid waste, posing significant environmental and health risks. This study systematically evaluates the environmental behavior and ecological risks of heavy metals in four typical metallurgical wastes: jarosite slag (SW1), electric arc furnace ash (SW2), [...] Read more.
The metallurgical industry generates substantial amounts of heavy metal-containing solid waste, posing significant environmental and health risks. This study systematically evaluates the environmental behavior and ecological risks of heavy metals in four typical metallurgical wastes: jarosite slag (SW1), electric arc furnace ash (SW2), chromium-containing sludge (SW3), and acid-base sludge (SW4). We demonstrate that particle size fundamentally governs heavy metal mobility, with fine-structured SW1 and SW2 (D50 = 4.76 µm and 1.34 µm) exhibiting enhanced metal mobility and bioavailability. In contrast, coarser SW3 and SW4 particles (D50 = 268.83 µm and 133.94 µm) retain heavy metals in more stable forms. Among all metals analyzed, cadmium (Cd) presents the most severe ecological threat, with acid-extractable fractions reaching 52% in SW2 and 45% in SW3—indicating high release potential under changing pH conditions. Risk assessment confirms high to very high ecological risks for Cd in both SW2 and SW3. Moreover, under acidic leaching conditions, SW1 and SW2 show significantly higher cumulative toxicity than SW3 and SW4. These findings highlight the critical role of waste-specific properties in controlling heavy metal fate and provide a scientific basis for targeted risk management and sustainable remediation strategies. Full article
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