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Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 6513

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Robson Andreazza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Engineering, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010900, Brazil
Interests: bioremediation; remediation; environmental pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Filipe Selau Carlos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Soil Science Department, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010900, Brazil
Interests: irrigation systems; soil and water management; efficient use of mineral nutrients; plant production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Soil and water contamination have occurred for a long time. In many cases, these issues are accompanied by industrial and agricultural development. The use of a wide range of heavy metals in many forms and concentrations contaminates soils and watercourses, causing problems for natural resources such as animals, plants, and ecosystems, as well as for the human being. The social and economic pressures from their use have begun to affect society; additionally, the bioremediation of contaminated areas offers promising results and is sustainable in a wide range of areas. Potential technologies and biotechnologies have been developed and green technologies are very important for bioremediation. Indeed, special phytoremediation, with the potential for the decontamination and protection of soil, is well accepted by organizations, researchers, and society, representing an important solution for environmental contamination with heavy metals. This technique exemplifies a sustainable activity that can improve the environment for future generations.

This Special Issue will collect a selection of papers presenting original and innovative contributions to the study of new patterns in phytoremediation, focusing on both the theoretical and pragmatic implications of different phytoremediation techniques. Combined and advanced phytoremediation techniques that use innovative plants and different organisms, such as plants and microorganisms, are welcome. Plant physiology for phytoremediation can be joined to improve the novelty of phytoadsorption, phytostabilization, phytoextraction, and other sustainable techniques.

Society is seeking new sustainable, advanced and green technologies for use to clean up the environment with low cost and efficiency. Phytoremediation offers a route to reach these goals and deliver important results.

Dr. Robson Andreazza
Prof. Dr. Filipe Selau Carlos
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 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 2400 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

  • phytoremediation
  • bioremediation
  • heavy metals
  • pollutants
  • remediation
  • contaminated soil
  • contaminated watercourse

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4798 KiB  
Article
Distribution, Potential Sources, and Risks of Heavy Metal Contamination in the Huaihe River: Insights from Water and Sediment Analysis
by Yuqing Miao, Jixiang Gu, Zhijie Gao, Jiejie Lyu, Fanghu Sun, Chuansheng Wu, Xun Liu, Weilin Hong, Yuesheng Lin, Hao Wang, Zichen Chen, Sixu Zhang, Qikai Hu and Xiaocao Sha
Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3548; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083548 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 408
Abstract
Riverine heavy metal (HM) pollution, a critical global environmental issue, severely affects water quality, ecosystem health, and human well-being. The Huaihe River, once among China’s most polluted, has seen water quality improvements due to strict pollution controls, yet the extent of HM pollution [...] Read more.
Riverine heavy metal (HM) pollution, a critical global environmental issue, severely affects water quality, ecosystem health, and human well-being. The Huaihe River, once among China’s most polluted, has seen water quality improvements due to strict pollution controls, yet the extent of HM pollution reduction remains uncertain. Here, we investigated the distribution, sources, and potential ecological and health risks of nine typical HMs (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in surface water and sediment in the Anhui section of the river. Seasonal variations in HM concentrations were observed, with most values below drinking water safety limits, except for Mn and Cd at specific sites and seasons. Indices including the HPI, HEI, HQ, and HI showed low contamination and health risks, yet children are more vulnerable to non-carcinogenic hazards, notably from Cd and As. Sediment HMs trends decreased as Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cu > As > Cd > Hg, with moderate pollution from Cd, Mn, and Pb based on CF, EF, and Igeo assessments. PLI and NPI suggested moderate ecological risks in midstream areas due to HM accumulation. The correlation analysis and PCA revealed that HMs in uncontaminated sediments were mainly of geogenic origin, while contaminated sediments were largely influenced by anthropogenic activities, including agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and domestic sewage discharge. Overall, our findings highlight that control of anthropogenic activities within the Huaihe River basin is essential for reducing HM pollution in the river. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective)
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24 pages, 4578 KiB  
Article
Influence of Phosphogypsum Waste on Rainwater Chemistry in a Highly Polluted Area with High Mortality Rates in Huelva Metropolitan Area, Spain
by Manuel Contreras-Llanes, Vanessa Santos-Sánchez, Juan Alguacil and Roberto Rodríguez-Pacheco
Sustainability 2025, 17(7), 3102; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17073102 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 531
Abstract
This study evaluates the impact of phosphogypsum stacks on the chemical composition of rainwater in the Huelva metropolitan area, a metal-polluted area with high cancer and heart disease mortality rates. A total of 612 rainwater samples were collected using 17 rain gauges located [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the impact of phosphogypsum stacks on the chemical composition of rainwater in the Huelva metropolitan area, a metal-polluted area with high cancer and heart disease mortality rates. A total of 612 rainwater samples were collected using 17 rain gauges located around the study area between January 2021 and December 2022. The pH, conductivity, major ions, and trace metals were detected in the soluble fraction of rainwater. The results revealed spatial variability in the rainwater quality. The highest values of As, Ca2+, Cr, F−, NH4+, Ni, PO43−, SO42−, Sr, and V were detected in rain-gauges near phosphogypsum stacks, exceeding the levels of pH, F−, and Ni according to the guideline values for drinking water quality from the WHO. Additionally, other pollution sources also contributed: a regional source (marine factors: Ca2+, Cl−, K+, Mg2+, and Na+) and a local source (chemical complexes emissions: Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn). A downward trend of most toxic metal(loid) concentrations in wet depositions was detected as the distance to the affected area increased. The findings revealed that phosphogypsum stacks are a relevant source of metal(loid)s with potentially adverse environmental and public health effects that, if replicated, could be relevant for environmental monitoring and policy making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective)
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20 pages, 20918 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Phytoremediation Potential of Aquatic Plants and Associated Microorganisms for the Cleaning of Aquatic Ecosystems from Oil Products
by Tatiana Zhilkina, Irina Gerasimova, Tamara Babich, Timur Kanapatskiy, Diyana Sokolova, Vitaly Kadnikov and Anastasiya Kamionskaya
Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9288; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219288 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
Phytoremediation of oil pollution using free-floating aquatic plants is a promising method for water body cleaning. In this study, the influence of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes on the degradation of oil pollution was investigated. The loss of oil alkanes and the rheological [...] Read more.
Phytoremediation of oil pollution using free-floating aquatic plants is a promising method for water body cleaning. In this study, the influence of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes on the degradation of oil pollution was investigated. The loss of oil alkanes and the rheological characteristics of water were evaluated, and an analysis of the emerging rhizospheric microbial communities was carried out using high-throughput sequencing. The presence of E. crassipes and P. stratiotes plants in oil-contaminated tanks had no effect on the degradation of oil alkanes. However, the presence of plants promoted the development of rhizospheric bacteria capable of growing in oil-contaminated environments. Alpha diversity of microbial communities in oil-contaminated samples was higher in the presence of plants. Additionally, plants significantly reduced the water/oil interfacial tension, which facilitated the availability of hydrocarbons for biodegradation. A difference was noted in the microbiome between E. crassipes and P. stratiotes. Changes in the composition of microbial communities highlight the potential of E. crassipes and P. stratiotes as rhizospheric hosts for microorganisms in the phytoremediation of water bodies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective)
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13 pages, 2285 KiB  
Article
Effects of Clipping Intensity on the Physiology of Dicranopteris pedata and Its Interroot Soil in the Rare-Earth-Mining Area in Southern China
by Yu Lin, Zhiqiang Chen, Weiye Li and Zhibiao Chen
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 664; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020664 - 11 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1499
Abstract
Clipping is crucial during phytoremediation. However, research into the effects of clipping intensity on the physiology of Dicranopteris pedata (D. pedata) and its interroot soil in the rare-earth-mining area in southern China is lacking. A clipping experiment was conducted to [...] Read more.
Clipping is crucial during phytoremediation. However, research into the effects of clipping intensity on the physiology of Dicranopteris pedata (D. pedata) and its interroot soil in the rare-earth-mining area in southern China is lacking. A clipping experiment was conducted to verify the phytoremediation effect of D. pedata. The physiology of D. pedata, such as biomass, antioxidant enzymes, chlorophyll, and rare-earth elements (REEs), were determined after clipping. And the microbial community diversity and soil enzyme activities in the interroot soil of D. pedata were investigated. The phytoremediation efficiency was determined at the end of the experiment. The results showed that the compensatory growth effect of D. pedata was stronger with increasing clipping intensity. There was no significant difference in the α diversity of interroot soil microorganisms of D. pedata at different clipping intensities, but β diversity analysis showed that the clipping treatment group deviated from the control group. Only urease activity decreased among the interroot soil enzymes in D. pedata after clipping, while the soil catalase and sucrase were less responsive to clipping. The REEs accumulated by D. pedata were dominated by light REEs in the aboveground part of the plant, while the amounts of light and heavy rare-earth elements accumulated in the underground part of the plant were similar. The phytoextraction of REEs gradually increased with increasing clipping intensity. It was concluded that 100% clipping once a year is the most appropriate when considering D. pedata’s phytoremediation potential and soil system. The time it takes for 100% clipping of D. pedata to reduce the soil TREEs (total rare-earth elements), LREEs (light rare-earth elements), and HREEs (heavy rare-earth elements) to below-average soil REE concentration in China was estimated to be 25.54 years, 19.56 years, and 65.43 years, respectively, which was significantly lower than that for other clipping intensities and the control group. It is concluded that clipping D. pedata is an effective way to promote phytoextraction efficiency in the southern rare-earth-mining areas. The soil can still support the resumption of D. pedata growth after high-intensity clipping. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective)
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Review

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24 pages, 1431 KiB  
Review
Cadmium Contamination in Aquatic Environments: Detoxification Mechanisms and Phytoremediation Approach
by Josiane Pinheiro Farias, Benedict C. Okeke, Carolina Faccio Demarco, Filipe Selau Carlos, Rodrigo Ferreira da Silva, Marcos Antonio da Silva, Maurízio Silveira Quadro, Simone Pieniz and Robson Andreazza
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 10072; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162210072 - 19 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1914
Abstract
The increased presence of cadmium in the environment can lead to its increase in the food chain, particularly due to its accumulation in the consumable parts of plants. For humans, ingesting food containing high levels of Cd is a significant exposure pathway. Being [...] Read more.
The increased presence of cadmium in the environment can lead to its increase in the food chain, particularly due to its accumulation in the consumable parts of plants. For humans, ingesting food containing high levels of Cd is a significant exposure pathway. Being a non-essential and non-metabolized element, it is harmful to microorganisms, animals, plants, and humans, even in minimal concentrations. As a result, there is a need for the remediation of both natural and urban environments. Bioremediation is a sustainable and eco-friendly technique for cleaning up the environment and reducing contamination of living organisms. This review explores the potential of phytoremediation, a bioremediation approach that utilizes plants as agents for decontamination, as a method to restore such areas. Certain plants, particularly macrophytes, are capable of remediating Cd. In response to induced stress, plants activate various tolerance mechanisms, including antioxidant enzyme systems (as peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) as well as non-enzymatic pathways (like phytochelatins). However, a thorough understanding of these tolerance mechanisms is essential for optimizing this method, especially for application in aquatic environments. This study will, therefore, review the existing tolerance and detoxification mechanisms for Cd, along with bioremediation strategies. The application of this eco-friendly approach is highly correlated with the three main areas required for sustainability: economic, environmental and social. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal Contamination and Phytoremediation of Soil and Water: From an Ecological and Sustainable Perspective)
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