The Potential of Plants to Absorb Xenobiotics

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental contamination by pollutants is a complex and pressing problem deeply felt at a global scale, particularly in densely populated and industrialized areas, where we are witnessing an increase in urbanization, intensive agricultural practices, and drastic changes in the land use. Non-biodegradable pollutants accumulate in the environment as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic activities, such as rock weathering, volcanic emissions, metal-ore exploitation, industrial activities, and waste disposal. These pollutants can poison the atmosphere through an increase in “enriched” particulate matter (PM) and can contaminate water bodies, sediments, and soils.

Heavy metals, organic pollutants, microplastics, and other xenobiotics can accumulate in living organisms along the food chain, posing a serious risk at the top trophic levels, including humans. Therefore, the monitoring and cleaning-up of pollutants in the environmental compartment represent crucial ways to minimize the hazard to ecosystems. To date, many physical, chemical, and biological approaches have been used to cope with this problem, with differing outcomes. The use of plants and associated soil microbes to restore polluted soils or absorb/adsorb pollutants from water bodies or the atmosphere could be an effective and green method for both biomonitoring and environmental restoration. The aim of this Special Issue is to present a collection of original studies focused on the capacity of plants to absorb/adsorb xenobiotics from the environment, particularly emerging pollutants. 

Prof. Dr. Valeria Spagnuolo
Dr. Fiore Capozzi
Dr. Luis Gomez
Guest Editors

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