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Removal of Pollutants from Soil and Water

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Dr. Nana Wang

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Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: heavy metal pollution; environmental chemistry; fate and transport of inorganic hazardous materials; adsorption-desorption; wastewater treatment; soil and water remediation; bioremediation/biodegradation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The release and accumulation of hazardous pollutants in soil and water threaten ecosystem sustainability, environmental security and human health. Inorganic and emerging pollutants are of particular concern due to their persistence, toxicity and complex transformation behaviors. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have intensified challenges in wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and site remediation. Understanding the migration, transformation and environmental fate of pollutants, along with developing sustainable remediation technologies, is now a key research frontier.

This Special Issue aims to present recent advances in pollutant removal, environmental remediation and sustainable treatment technologies for contaminated soil and water systems. We welcome original research articles, reviews and case studies focusing on physicochemical, biological and integrated remediation approaches. Particular emphasis will be placed on interaction mechanisms, bioprocesses, transport, advanced biological treatment and innovative materials for pollution control and resource recovery.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

Migration, transformation and environmental fate of inorganic pollutants in soil and water;
Remediation processes and mechanisms for contaminated soil and aquatic environments;
Membrane bioreactors and advanced biological treatment systems;
Anammox and nitrogen removal technologies;
Integrated physicochemical–biological remediation approaches;
Solid waste management and treatment technologies;
Novel materials and sustainable technologies for pollution control and environmental remediation.

Dr. Nana Wang
Guest Editor

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20 pages, 3837 KB

Open AccessArticle

Humic Acid-Mediated Enhancement of Stibnite Oxidative Surface Weathering and Antimony Mobilization Under Photochemical Conditions and Variable pH

by Chunxiao Wang, Zhirong Chen, Jie Zheng, Tangfu Xiao, Mengyang You, Jianqiao Wang and Nana Wang

Water 2026, 18(16), 1941; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18161941 - 8 Aug 2026

Viewed by 248

Abstract

Stibnite (Sb₂S₃), the predominant antimony-bearing sulfide mineral, represents a major natural source of antimony (Sb) in mining-impacted environments. Although humic acid (HA) is ubiquitous in mine wastes and surface waters, its influence on the oxidative transformation and mobilization of Sb from Sb₂S₃ under photochemical conditions remains poorly understood. Here, the coupled effects of HA, controlled ultraviolet irradiation and pH on Sb₂S₃ weathering and Sb mobilization were systematically investigated through batch dissolution experiments combined with hydroxyl radical (·OH) determination, elemental sulfur (S⁰) analysis and complementary solid-phase characterization. Sb release increased with increasing pH and was further enhanced by HA, particularly under circumneutral and alkaline conditions. Controlled UV irradiation further increased Sb mobilization under the investigated conditions, with a more pronounced effect in HA-containing systems. The enhanced Sb mobilization was accompanied by increased ·OH production and greater S⁰ accumulation, indicating increased oxidative activity during weathering. SEM, EDS and FTIR analyses further revealed progressive surface morphological and compositional changes, whereas XRD showed that the bulk crystalline structure of Sb₂S₃ was largely preserved. XPS revealed the formation of oxidized Sb- and S-containing surface species, providing evidence for progressive surface chemical transformation. These results indicate that HA and controlled photochemical conditions were associated with enhanced Sb mobilization and oxidative transformation at the Sb₂S₃-solution interface, while the overall weathering remained predominantly surface-confined. The findings highlight the importance of considering natural organic matter, photochemical conditions and pH together when evaluating Sb mobility from sulfide minerals in mining-impacted environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Removal of Pollutants from Soil and Water)

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