Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils

Dear Colleagues,

Soil contamination with heavy metals (HMs) represents a significant environmental challenge, particularly in areas impacted by industrial, agricultural, and urban activities. Heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury, are persistent pollutants that can accumulate in soil for extended periods, causing both ecological and human health risks. The fate and transport of these metals in polluted soils are influenced by complex physical, chemical, and biological processes, which dictate their mobility, bioavailability, and long-term environmental impact.

We are pleased to invite the submission of original, high-impact research articles for this Special Issue, entitled “Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils”, of Toxics. This Special Issue aims to explore the mechanisms that govern the behavior and movement of heavy metals in polluted soil environments. It will focus on the scientific understanding of metal mobility, retention, and transformation processes while also highlighting novel strategies for mitigating the impacts of metal contamination. We encourage submissions that address the latest developments in environmental monitoring, modeling, and remediation techniques, as well as studies examining the effects of heavy metal exposure on soil health, ecosystem function, and food safety.

The scope of this Special Issue is detailed as follows:

Fate, transport, and behavior of heavy metals in polluted soils: Physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing the mobility and retention of heavy metals in contaminated soil systems.

Heavy metal bioavailability and toxicity: Understanding the factors that affect the uptake of heavy metals by plants, soil organisms, and humans.

Soil–plant interactions and heavy metal accumulation: Mechanisms of plant uptake, hyperaccumulation, and the impact of heavy metals on agricultural productivity.

Environmental modeling and risk assessment: Predictive models to assess the distribution and impact of heavy metal contaminants in soil environments.

Innovative technologies for heavy metal remediation: New approaches and methods for mitigating or removing heavy metals from polluted soils.

Soil health and ecosystem function: Effects of heavy metal pollution on soil microbiomes, biodiversity, and ecological processes.

Human and ecological health risks: Assessing the long-term consequences of heavy metal contamination on agriculture food safety and human health.

Monitoring and analytical techniques: Advancements in the detection and quantification of heavy metals in soil or soil biota.

Dr. Tuo Zhang
Dr. Xing Xia
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. Toxics 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.