Heavy Metal Pollution and Remediation: Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil Conservation and Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 14 September 2026 | Viewed by 75
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Heavy metal pollution remains one of the most pervasive and persistent environmental challenges of the Anthropocene. Unlike organic pollutants, which can often be degraded, heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) are immutable elements. They cannot be broken down; they indefinitely persist in the environment, accumulating in soils, sediments, and water bodies, as well as bioaccumulating in living organisms, including humans. For decades, the primary response to heavy metal contamination has relied on conventional "dig-and-dump" or "pump-and-treat" methods. These engineering-based approaches, while sometimes effective, are often prohibitively expensive, energy-intensive, disruptive to the landscape, and merely transfer the problem from one location to another (e.g., to a landfill), creating long-term liability rather than providing a true solution. The scientific community is now pivoting towards developing and optimizing green and sustainable remediation (GSR) technologies. This Special Issue is dedicated to this new era of environmental restoration. The research area is not merely an academic exercise but a vital endeavor for planetary health.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
Sources, Fate, and Transport: Advanced studies on the identification and quantification of anthropogenic and geogenic sources; biogeochemical cycling; speciation and bioavailability in soil, water, and air; and long-range transport models.
Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment: Investigations into the toxicological effects of heavy metals on organisms at various trophic levels, from microbes to humans. This includes molecular mechanisms of toxicity, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and the development of advanced ecological and human health risk assessment frameworks.
Innovative Monitoring and Analytical Techniques: Development and application of novel sensors, remote sensing technologies, biosensors, and advanced analytical methods (e.g., synchrotron-based techniques, isotopic tracing) for the precise detection, quantification, and speciation of heavy metals in complex environmental matrices.
Advanced Remediation Technologies:
Physical/Chemical Methods: Research on novel adsorbents (e.g., biochar, nanomaterials, MOFs), membrane filtration, electrokinetic remediation, and chemical stabilization/immobilization.
Biological Methods (Bioremediation): Phytoremediation (including phytoextraction, phytostabilization), microbial remediation (biomineralization, biosorption, bioleaching), and mycoremediation. Studies on enhancing efficiency through microbial consortia, genetic engineering, and phytomanagement are encouraged.
Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR): Life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis, and studies evaluating the sustainability and circular economy potential of remediation strategies (e.g., phyto-mining, resource recovery from waste).
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Qiyuan Liu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- heavy metal
- sources, fate, and transport
- ecotoxicology and risk assessment
- green and sustainable remediation
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