Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.9
3.2
Journals
Land
Special Issues
Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals: Monitoring, Remediation, and Land Management...
share announcement

Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals: Monitoring, Remediation, and Land Management Strategies

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land, Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1631

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lorena Salgado

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Biogeochemistry & Raw Materials Group, Institute of Natural Resources and Territorial Planning (INDUROT), Campus de Mieres, University of Oviedo, C/Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós, S/N, 33600 Mieres, Spain
Interests: soil health; plant–microbe interactions; soil biodiversity; precision agriculture; remote sensing; mapping; UAV; diffuse spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rubén Forján Castro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, GEAPAGE: Environmental Geomorphology and Geological Heritage, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: soil remediation; contaminated soils; by-product amendments; biochar and hydrochar; phytoremediation; environmental biogeochemistry; edaphology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal contamination of soils remains a pervasive threat to food security, ecosystem health, and human well-being. This Special Issue invites advances that close the gap between high-resolution monitoring, effective remediation, and pragmatic land management. We welcome studies that quantify sources and pathways from mining, industry, and agriculture; characterize speciation and bioavailability; and integrate sensor networks, portable XRF, proximal and remote spectroscopy (VIS–NIR–MIR), remote sensing platforms, and machine learning, deep learning and/or AI data modeling for mapping and management of soil degraded studies. Submissions on exposure and risk assessment, thresholds, and decision frameworks are encouraged.

We seek innovative remediation approaches—phytoremediation and phytostabilization, microbe-assisted strategies, immobilization via amendments (e.g., biochar, phosphates, lime), electrokinetic and hydrometallurgical techniques, and safe use of nano-enabled materials—supported by field validation, life-cycle and techno-economic analyses, and attention to co-contaminants. Contributions should link remediation performance to soil functions, carbon dynamics, and agronomic productivity.

Equally important are land management strategies for agricultural, urban, and post-mining landscapes: crop and cultivar selection, amendment management, mosaic land uses, green infrastructure, and long-term monitoring with citizen science. Comparative case studies across climates, meta-analyses, open datasets, and decision-support tools are welcome. Our goal is to provide actionable, policy-relevant science that enables regulators, practitioners, and communities to reduce risks while restoring soil health.

Dr. Lorena Salgado
Dr. Rubén Forján Castro
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Land 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 2600 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

  • heavy metals
  • soil pollution
  • bioavailability
  • risk assessment
  • diffuse spectroscopy
  • remote sensing
  • machine learning
  • phytoremediation
  • biochar amendments
  • microbial remediation
  • land management

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

25 pages, 6105 KB  
Article
Three-Dimensional Characterization and Management of Heavy Metal Contamination in Site Soils
by Xiangyuan Wu, Feng Li, Sensen Wang, Zhuoli Zhang and Yan Li
Land 2026, 15(2), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15020248 - 31 Jan 2026
Viewed by 485
Abstract
As former chemical sites, especially retired pesticide plants, the redevelopment of “brownfield” land imposes urgent demands for detailed environmental investigation and remediation. Addressing the current limitations in pollution characterization, which often remain confined to two-dimensional representations and lack research on the vertical migration [...] Read more.
As former chemical sites, especially retired pesticide plants, the redevelopment of “brownfield” land imposes urgent demands for detailed environmental investigation and remediation. Addressing the current limitations in pollution characterization, which often remain confined to two-dimensional representations and lack research on the vertical migration mechanisms of heavy metals and their integration with three-dimensional remediation and management strategies, this study focuses on a typical retired pesticide plant site in Southeastern Zhejiang, China. Through systematic analysis of 916 soil borehole samples collected from 92 sampling points, the study integrates three-dimensional visualization technology and three-dimensional ordinary kriging interpolation to establish a high-precision three-dimensional characterization system covering stratigraphy, pollution plumes, and composite risks. The findings reveal that the As and Ni pollution plumes have volumes of 5.35 × 104 m3 and 2.78 × 105 m3, respectively. Furthermore, As and Ni exhibit significant vertical migration capabilities within sandy and silty soil layers, while elements such as Hg, Cd, and Pb are primarily concentrated in the surface fill layer. By combining three-dimensional risk modeling based on the single-factor pollution index, Nemerow comprehensive index, and potential ecological risk index, the study precisely classifies the site into four graded zones: safe use zone, basically safe use zone, low-risk control zone, and high-risk control zone. This approach enables the visualization and quantification of pollution levels. The research constructs a comprehensive methodological framework that extends from three-dimensional pollution characterization to zonal management decision-making, providing scientific evidence and technical support for the precise remediation and sustainable redevelopment of similar retired industrial sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals: Monitoring, Remediation, and Land Management Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 2374 KB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Assessment of As, Cd, and Cu Concentrations in the <63 µm Fraction of Loa River Basin Sediments: Implications for Sediment Quality in the Atacama Desert
by Nataly Lobos-Parra, Marcos Guiñez and Rodrigo Orrego
Land 2026, 15(2), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15020226 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 580
Abstract
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is characterized by its naturally high metal concentrations; however, human activities have significantly increased their availability and concentration in aquatic environments. In the Loa River basin, copper mining is the main economic activity, and the extremely arid [...] Read more.
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is characterized by its naturally high metal concentrations; however, human activities have significantly increased their availability and concentration in aquatic environments. In the Loa River basin, copper mining is the main economic activity, and the extremely arid conditions contribute to high levels of evaporation and salinity. This study evaluated the concentrations of As, Cd, and Cu in the 63 µm sediment fraction from three areas, Lequena, La Finca, and Quillagua, during the years 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2023. Contamination levels were assessed using multiple approaches, including the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), the Enrichment Factor (EF), the Pollution Load Index (PLI), and the mean Probable Effect Concentration Ratio (m-PEC-Q). The results showed that Lequena (upper river zone) had no evidence of anthropogenic contamination over time; however, the ecological risk assessment highlighted the significant natural contribution of arsenic, representing a potential risk to the ecosystem. In contrast, La Finca (mid-river zone) and Quillagua (river mouth) showed significantly high levels of contamination. The Geoaccumulation Index consistently classified these sites as “moderately” to “heavily” contaminated or “heavily contaminated” for arsenic, while the Enrichment Factor indicated “very high enrichment” for arsenic, reflecting a strong anthropogenic influence. Ecological risk assessments indicated a persistent 76% probability of toxicity at La Finca throughout all sampling years, a level also observed at Quillagua in 2017 and 2023, with concentrations frequently exceeding international sediment quality guidelines. These patterns are attributed to the proximity of mining activities in the middle zone and the downstream transport of contaminated sediments to the river’s mouth, resulting in persistently high ecological risks over time. This study provides important baseline information for pollution control and ecological safety in the Loa River basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals: Monitoring, Remediation, and Land Management Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop