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Toxics
Special Issues
Sustainable Soil Amendments for the Immobilization of Potentially Toxic Elements
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Sustainable Soil Amendments for the Immobilization of Potentially Toxic Elements

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026 | Viewed by 1901

Editors

Prof. Dr. Valentina Pidlisnyuk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of the Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Environment, Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632/15, 400 96 Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
Interests: phytoremediation and bioremediation; sustainable development; water resources management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Karim Suhail Al Souki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of the Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Environment, Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632/15, 400 96 Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
Interests: trace elements; soil amendments; organic pollutants; soil physicochemical parameters; soil microbiology; plant health; plant–soil interactions; carbon sequestration; phytoremediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Aritz Burges

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health & Environment, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Géo-Environnement, JUNIA, ULR4515—LGCgE, Lille, France
Interests: phytomanagement; trace elements; phytoavailability; soil microbial ecology; health risk assessment; ecosystem services

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) represents a persistent environmental challenge, threatening ecosystem health, food safety, and human well-being. Industrial activities, mining, wastewater irrigation and excessive agrochemical use have led to the accumulation of PTEs such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, chromium and mercury in soils worldwide. Unlike organic pollutants, PTEs are non-biodegradable and can remain in soils for decades, necessitating effective and sustainable remediation strategies.

This Special Issue focuses on the development, mechanisms and field applications of sustainable soil amendments for the immobilization and risk reduction of PTEs. Soil amendments—such as biochar, compost, industrial by-products, mineral sorbents and nanomaterials—offer cost-effective and environmentally friendly approaches to reduce PTE bioavailability, enhance soil quality and restore ecosystem functions.

We aim to bring together cutting-edge research that advances our understanding of amendment–PTEs–soil interactions, long-term stability, ecological impacts and practical implementation under diverse soil and climatic conditions. Both original research articles and comprehensive reviews are welcome.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

  • Development and characterization of sustainable soil amendments for element immobilization.
  • Mechanisms of PTEs sorption, stabilization and transformation in amended soils.
  • Biochar-, compost-, mineral- and waste-derived amendments for contaminated soils.
  • Impacts of amendments on PTE’s bioavailability, plant uptake and soil health.
  • Long-term performance and field-scale applications.
  • Combined approaches integrating amendments with phytoremediation or microbial strategies.
  • Environmental risk assessment and life-cycle analysis of soil amendment technologies.

This Special Issue seeks to contribute to practical, science-based solutions for mitigating potentially toxic elements contamination while promoting soil sustainability and environmental resilience.

Prof. Dr. Valentina Pidlisnyuk
Dr. Karim Suhail Al Souki
Dr. Aritz Burges
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-anonymized 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

  • potentially toxic element contamination
  • soil remediation
  • soil amendments
  • PTE immobilization
  • bioavailability
  • environmental risk assessment
  • waste-derived amendments
  • long-term stability

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 901 KB  
Article
Properties, Preliminary Risk Evaluation and Potential Valorization of Miscanthus × giganteus Biomass Ash as a Soil Amendment
by Abdulmannan Rouhani, Karim Suhail Al Souki, Batoul Hamade, Ghazwa Basma, Petr Ryšánek and Valentina Pidlisnyuk
Toxics 2026, 14(7), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14070541 - 23 Jun 2026
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Abstract
The agricultural and environmental application of Miscanthus × giganteus biomass ash (MBA) as a soil amendment requires a thorough assessment of its properties, nutrient potential, and associated risks. This study characterizes the elemental composition, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [...] Read more.
The agricultural and environmental application of Miscanthus × giganteus biomass ash (MBA) as a soil amendment requires a thorough assessment of its properties, nutrient potential, and associated risks. This study characterizes the elemental composition, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) content of MBA in comparison with other common biomass ashes (crops, wood, and sewage sludge) referred to the international regulatory standards. The ash exhibits a strong alkaline pH (11.03), suggesting potential to improve soil pH in acid soils, but requires careful controlled application to prevent excessive alkalization. The main nutrients detected include K (5.54%), Ca (2.07%), Mg (0.37%), and P (0.86%), indicating its potential as a soil amendment, though long-term use may cause nutrient imbalances. Micronutrients such as Zn (240.67 mg·kg−1), Mn (297 mg·kg−1), and Cu (33.5 mg·kg−1) are found in concentrations suitable for agricultural use, while potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, are below detection limits, thereby reducing the risk of pollution. As (8.3 mg·kg−1) and ΣPAHs (1.63 mg·kg−1) remain within safety thresholds, suggesting a low environmental toxicity of MBA. The low Na content (0.12%) indicates a minimal risk of salinity accumulation, distinguishing MBA from high-sodium biomass ashes. Soil alkalization, disruptions in nutrient balance, and element leaching are risks to be considered. Despite these concerns, its composition is in agreement with established safety guidelines, supporting its feasibility for valorization as a sustainable soil amendment and remediation material. To maximize agronomic benefits and mitigate environmental risks, it is important to utilize the ash, considering site conditions and carry out regular monitoring of the soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Soil Amendments for the Immobilization of Potentially Toxic Elements)
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29 pages, 7090 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Potentially Toxic Elements in Roadside Agricultural Soils Using Pollution Indices and Remediation Potential of Manure and Attapulgite in Wheat Cultivation
by Apostolia Argiri, Aikaterini Molla, Miltiadis Tziouvalekas and Christina Emmanouil
Toxics 2026, 14(6), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14060483 - 31 May 2026
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Abstract
Soil near urban areas may be burdened with numerous environmental pollutants including potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In this context, samples near the highway infrastructure in Larissa, Central Greece were examined for pseudo-total concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni, and enrichment, ecological [...] Read more.
Soil near urban areas may be burdened with numerous environmental pollutants including potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In this context, samples near the highway infrastructure in Larissa, Central Greece were examined for pseudo-total concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni, and enrichment, ecological risk and human risk indices were calculated. Co-variation structure between PTEs and key soil properties was assessed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Screening for the pollution status of this area would quantify the possible risk, and therefore whether our subsequent rehabilitation trials would be of use. In this context, the most polluted sample was chosen to undergo a variety of remediation alternatives in a pot experiment, incorporating wheat and manure–attapulgite mixtures. Results showed enrichment of soil mainly with Ni, a low probability (9%) of risk exceedance for children for non-carcinogenic health effects and strong associations between the PTEs, indicating common sources. The greenhouse experiments showed that the application of manure–attapulgite reduced PTE concentrations in soil and wheat plant, with the greatest decrease observed for Pb, Cr and Ni. BCF values indicated strong accumulation of Ni (BCF > 1), while Cr and Cu showed limited uptake. Coefficient of contamination level (CCL) values (<1) for Cr and Cu confirmed reduced plant uptake, whereas Ni, Pb and Zn remained above 1. Taken together, the research shows that the fields chosen here are subjected to significant PTE input from lithogenic and anthropogenic sources, which may even become dangerous for sensitive sub-populations. Experimental cultivation of wheat shows that the combined amendments effectively reduced metal bioavailability and soil-to-plant transfer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Soil Amendments for the Immobilization of Potentially Toxic Elements)
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