Special Issue "Sustainable Management of Heavy Metals Ⅱ"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jose Navarro Pedreño
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, University Miguel Hernandez of Elche, Av. de la Universidad s/n, 03206, Elche, Alicante, Spain
Interests: soil-water-plant system; waste management and recycling
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Antonis A. Zorpas
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Environmental Conservation and Management, Lab of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, P.O.Box 12794, 2252 Latsia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: strategic panning development in the framework of waste management; circular and bio-economy; waste valoraization; waste to energy; european green deal; biosolids treatment and management; hazardous waste treatment; end of waste criteria; waste minimization; zero waste approach; waste prevention; social behavior; city metabolism; household and solid waste management; advanced oxidation process; life cycle analysis and environmental risk analysis; SDGs; green entrepreneurship
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Prof. I. Gómez Lucas
E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, University Miguel Hernandez of Elche, Av. de la Universidad s/n, 03206, Elche, Alicante, Spain
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metals, in general trace elements, are one of the major environmental problems. At present, the increasing environmental and global public health concern related to environmental contamination by heavy metals is well known. Moreover, human exposure has risen dramatically because of an exponential increase in their use in several activities, such as in agricultural, industrial, technological, and urban applications. They are present in soils, water, and atmosphere, and they are a serious risk for the food chain.

The United Nations through the FAO and the European Union are concerned about the problem of heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain. Heavy metals soil and water pollution are important challenges in food security.

The main sources from which heavy metals are produced include industrial, geogenic, agricultural, mining, wastewaters, domestic effluents, pharmaceutical, and atmospheric causes. Heavy metal bioavailability is influenced by physical, chemical, and biological factors. Temperature, adsorption, and sequestration are considered as physical, while complexation kinetics, leachability and mobility, lipid solubility, and octanol/water partition coefficients are related with chemical factors. Biological factors such as species characteristics, trophic interactions, and biochemical/physiological adaptation also play important roles.

Heavy metals are also related with health, as they enter our bodies through the food chain. In addition, the illegal disposal of waste such as sewage sludge or household waste affected with heavy metals may affect soils and ground waters, which may enter the human body through the food chain, the breath, or through the skin.

The studies of this Special Issue are expected to address:

  • The source and distribution of heavy metals in the environment (soil, water, air, living organisms, waste).
  • The mapping of areas at a global and regional scale where pollution is a high risk.
  • The consequences of heavy metals on the environment and food security.
  • The relation of trace elements with zero waste strategy and circular economy.
  • Sustainable strategies for the remediation of heavy metal pollution.
  • The impact of metals in environmental policy.
  • Methods to remove and or uptake heavy metals.

Prof. Dr. Jose Navarro Pedreño
Prof. Antonis A. Zorpas
Prof. I. Gómez Lucas
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 papers will be 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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1900 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

  • distribution
  • environmental health
  • food security
  • metal extractions
  • metals leachability
  • pollution
  • remediation
  • strategies in metal science

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

Article
Implications of the Phytoremediation of Heavy Metal Contamination of Soils and Wild Plants in the Industrial Area of Haina, Dominican Republic
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031403 - 29 Jan 2021
Viewed by 444
Abstract
The study evaluates pollution by Pb, Zn, and Cr, and a possible sustainable solution through phytoremediation technologies, in the surroundings of Haina, a very polluted area of the Dominican Republic. Soils and plants were analyzed at 11 sampling points. After sample processing, the [...] Read more.
The study evaluates pollution by Pb, Zn, and Cr, and a possible sustainable solution through phytoremediation technologies, in the surroundings of Haina, a very polluted area of the Dominican Republic. Soils and plants were analyzed at 11 sampling points. After sample processing, the elemental composition was analyzed by ICP-OES. Soil metal concentrations, contaminating factors, pollution load indexes, and the Nemerow pollution index were assessed. Soil metal concentrations showed Pb > Zn > Cr, resulting in very strong Pb pollution and medium-impact Zn pollution, with an anthropogenic origin in some sites. This means that some agricultural and residential restrictions must be applied. Accumulation levels in plant tissues, bioaccumulation factors in roots and shoots, and translocation factors were determined for Acalypha alopecuroidea, Achyranthes aspera, Amaranthus dubius, Bidenspilosa, Heliotropium angiospermum, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Sida rhombifolia. The vast majority of the plants showed very low levels of the potentially toxic elements studied, although it may be advisable to take precautions before consumption as they are all considered edible, fodder, and/or medicinal plants. Despite their low rate of bioaccumulation, most of the plants studied could be suitable for the application of phytoremediation of Zn in the field, although further studies are needed to assess their potential for this. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Heavy Metals Ⅱ)
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