Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.4
4.1
Journals
Toxics
Special Issues
Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils
share announcement

Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicity Reduction and Environmental Remediation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2026 | Viewed by 4026

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tuo Zhang

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Life Science, Nanning Normal University, Nanning 530001, China
Interests: soil; heavy metals; DGT; amendments; risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xing Xia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Interests: soil chemistry; organo-mineral complexes; interfacial processes; metals; sorption

Special Issue Information

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.

Keywords

  • heavy metals
  • soil contamination
  • fate and transport
  • soil health
  • environmental remediation
  • ecological risk assessment
  • bioavailability

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 4284 KB  
Article
Spatial Distribution, Source Apportionment and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Typical Redevelopment Sites in Pudong New District, Shanghai
by Cheng Shen, Jian Wu and Ye Li
Toxics 2026, 14(4), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14040315 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 778
Abstract
To investigate the characteristics and health risks of heavy metal (HM) contamination in soils of typical industrial sites during urban renewal, this study selected Pudong New District, Shanghai, as a case. Seven HMs (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Hg, and As) were analyzed [...] Read more.
To investigate the characteristics and health risks of heavy metal (HM) contamination in soils of typical industrial sites during urban renewal, this study selected Pudong New District, Shanghai, as a case. Seven HMs (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Hg, and As) were analyzed for their concentrations, ecological risks, spatial patterns, and potential sources. Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation was used to assess spatial distribution, Random Forest (RF) regression to predict HM concentrations, and a two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate human health risks. The results showed that all HMs except As exceeded Shanghai background values in surface soils, with varying levels observed in subsoil and saturated layers. The Index of Geoaccumulation (Igeo) and Risk Index (RI) indicated low contamination and moderate ecological risk. Pearson correlation combined with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) identified four major sources: traffic emissions dominated by Cd and Zn, combustion-related sources dominated by Pb and Hg, industry-related inputs dominated by Cu and Ni, and a natural source dominated by As. The RF model demonstrated strong predictive accuracy for Cd, Pb, Hg, and As (R2 = 0.80–0.94), and predicted values were consistent with observations. Monte Carlo results showed that non-carcinogenic risks for children and adults were within acceptable limits, while carcinogenic risks reached “notable” levels with probabilities of 62.06%, 55.65%, and 22.49% for children, adult females, and adult males, respectively. Cd and As were identified as key contributors. This work provides scientific support for soil pollution prevention and remediation during urban renewal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 2538 KB  
Article
Synchronous Immobilization of Arsenic and Cadmium in Agricultural Soils by Sepiolite-Supported Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron
by Kuiru Li, Tieguang He, Yan Wang, Xinru Wang, Donghuan Lei and Lijuan Li
Toxics 2026, 14(4), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14040301 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 987
Abstract
The cocontamination of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils poses severe risks to ecosystem stability and food safety because of their high toxicity, mobility, and bioaccumulation potential. However, single amendments often exhibit selective immobilization, which limits their effectiveness for As–Cd-cocontaminated soils. [...] Read more.
The cocontamination of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils poses severe risks to ecosystem stability and food safety because of their high toxicity, mobility, and bioaccumulation potential. However, single amendments often exhibit selective immobilization, which limits their effectiveness for As–Cd-cocontaminated soils. In this study, a sepiolite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron composite (S-nZVI) was synthesized via liquid-phase reduction, and its remediation performance and mechanisms under different moisture conditions were evaluated. The characterization results confirmed that the nZVI nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and anchored onto the sepiolite matrix, thus mitigating aggregation and oxidative passivation while increasing surface reactivity. Soil incubation experiments demonstrated that S-nZVI reduced the bioavailability of As and Cd and promoted their transformation from labile to stable fractions under both 50% and 120% water holding capacity (WHC). Under flooded conditions (120% WHC), 0.5% S-nZVI reduced the bioavailable Cd and As concentrations by 52.3–58.7% and 67.4%, respectively, after 120 days. Mechanistically, immobilization was governed by a synergistic “adsorption–reduction–coprecipitation” pathway coupled with pH–Eh regulation. Rice pot experiments further validated the effectiveness of S-nZVI, with the grain As and Cd concentrations reduced by 73.3% and 52.3%, respectively, without impairing plant growth. Overall, S-nZVI provides an efficient strategy for simultaneous immobilization of As and Cd in As–Cd-cocontaminated soils and supports the safe use of polluted agricultural lands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1203 KB  
Article
Phosphorus-Associated Viral Indicators Override pH as Predictors of Heavy Metal Mobility in Urban Storm Drain Sediments
by Rui Zhou, Rongguo Gao, Xuanyi Gao, Bangxiao Zheng and Bin Yan
Toxics 2026, 14(3), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030197 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 655
Abstract
Urban storm drain sediments (SDSs) accumulate heavy metals from building façades and road surfaces, yet the biogeochemical controls governing metal mobility remain poorly understood. This study investigated biotic and abiotic controls on metal mobility along the urban dust transport chain (Xiamen-Quanzhou-Zhangzhou, China), using [...] Read more.
Urban storm drain sediments (SDSs) accumulate heavy metals from building façades and road surfaces, yet the biogeochemical controls governing metal mobility remain poorly understood. This study investigated biotic and abiotic controls on metal mobility along the urban dust transport chain (Xiamen-Quanzhou-Zhangzhou, China), using four sample types—façade dust (FD), road-deposited sediment (RDS), SDS, and runoff suspended solids (RSS)—from nine sites across three functional zones. Metal concentrations (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd), phosphorus fractions, and microbial functional genes were quantified to test the hypothesis that viral abundance indicators, rather than pH, are more strongly associated with metal mobility in near-neutral urban sediments. Results showed that SDS served as metal accumulation hotspots with enrichment factors of 2.0–2.3× relative to FD, while total phosphorus declined by 34% along the transport chain. Contrary to conventional expectations, pH exhibited weak correlation with Pb mobility (r = −0.21; 95% CI: −0.62 to 0.27), whereas the T4-type bacteriophage gene g23 showed strong positive correlation (r = 0.85, p < 0.01; 95% CI: 0.52–0.96). Partial least squares path modeling revealed that viral abundance (g23 gene copies) showed the strongest statistical association with metal mobility among biotic variables (β = +0.48, p < 0.001), mediated through phosphorus-supported microbial activity. The model explained 76% of variance in metal mobility, with phosphorus cycling positively influencing viral abundance (β = +0.28). These findings challenge the pH-centric paradigm of metal geochemistry and reveal a novel phosphorus-virus-metal coupling mechanism in urban environments. The textile industrial site QZ-2 exceeded chromium screening values by 45%, demonstrating the framework’s utility for pollution hotspot identification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 9692 KB  
Article
Stabilizing Active Aluminum (Al3+) in Acidic Soils via Biochar-Induced Microbial Niches: Focusing on Denitrifier-Mediated Mechanisms, Efficiency, and Environmental Outcomes
by Chao He, Tuo Zhang, Shiming Su, Yang Zhang, Xibai Zeng, Yao Qiu, Yaxiong Wen and Shiyong Tan
Toxics 2026, 14(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14020157 - 6 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1124
Abstract
The pervasive toxicity of active aluminum (Al3+) in acidic red soils threatens agroecosystem sustainability, with conventional chemical stabilizers facing cost and secondary pollution constraints. This study evaluated rice husk/sawdust and their pyrolysis-derived biochar as stabilizers, focusing on microbial synergy. Results showed [...] Read more.
The pervasive toxicity of active aluminum (Al3+) in acidic red soils threatens agroecosystem sustainability, with conventional chemical stabilizers facing cost and secondary pollution constraints. This study evaluated rice husk/sawdust and their pyrolysis-derived biochar as stabilizers, focusing on microbial synergy. Results showed 3% rice husk biochar (RB) achieved 22.1 ± 1.1% stabilization efficiency within 180 days, outperforming sawdust biochar (12.1 ± 0.8%) and raw biomass. Biochar’s alkalinity and porosity created neutral niches, enriching denitrifiers (Thiobacillus, Arthrobacter, Thermomonas) that elevated pH, promoted Al(OH)3 precipitation, and enhanced oxygen-containing functional groups. This work valorizes agricultural waste for long-term Al3+ toxicity mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in Polluted Soils)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop