Soil Heavy Metal Pollution and Human Health

Dear Colleagues,

Soil is a non-renewable resource. However, industrial and agricultural activity is often detrimental to soil health and can distribute heavy metal(loid)s into the soil environment, harming human and ecosystem health. The heavy metal contamination of agricultural soil and the resultant loss of crop yield are particularly alarming, as they put the most vulnerable people on the planet at greater risk of poverty and malnutrition. Soil pollution is closely related to human health, and includes exposure to contaminated soil, the ingestion of growing crops in toxin-contaminated soils, the inhalation of contaminated soil dust, or the inadvertent ingestion of contaminated soil. After being enriched in the body, even trace heavy metal ions may lead to serious diseases, such as itai-itai disease, Minamata disease, or even cancer. Consequently, there is an urgent need for greater awareness, policy interventions, and technological solutions to address the threat of heavy metal pollution in soil systems and mitigation strategies to overcome its potential impacts on human health.  

This Special Issue, entitled “Soil heavy metal pollution and human health”, aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and practitioners to discuss advancements in soil heavy metal pollution, which poses serious health risks through diverse pathways. This Special Issue seeks to address the pressing global challenges associated with pollution in soil and crops, focusing on techniques and solutions that can safeguard human health and environmental sustainability. Authors are invited to submit original research papers, reviews, and short communications. The topics of interest may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Occurrence, fate, and transport of heavy metals in soil;
2. Bioavailability and bioaccessibility;
3. Human health and food safety;
4. The one-health concept to promote soil, human, and planetary health;
5. Novel strategies for removing heavy metals from soil;
6. Case studies and practical applications of soil heavy metal pollution management approaches;
7. Policy implications and regulatory frameworks related to soil pollution control.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Ping Xiang
Guest Editor

Dr. Chengchen Wang
Guest Editor Assistant

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