Search Results (19)

Nanomaterials are gaining increasing importance in various scientific and technological fields, including ecological strategies for environmental remediation, such as the treatment of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil remediation using graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO-NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in combination with bacterial consortium inoculation and phytoremediation with Lolium perenne. The study was conducted in two stages: laboratory-scale biodegradation experiments and semi-technical scale phytoremediation. The laboratory stage determined optimal nanomaterial doses based on respirometric and chromatographic analyses. During phytoremediation, the contents of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, roots, and shoots were monitored. Biomass growth was recorded, and environmental toxicity was assessed using Phytotoxkit, Microtox, and Ostracodtoxkit tests. The addition of nanomaterials significantly enhanced soil remediation, with improvements in TPH and PAHs removal resulting from microbial biodegradation in both stages and, additionally, in the phytoremediation stage, from phytoextraction by plants. TPH biodegradation reached up to 81.85% in GO-NP variants and 80.9% in ZnO-NP treatments, while PAHs reached 73.19% and 70.66%, respectively. The biomass of Lolium perenne increased by 28.63% in GO-NP variants and by 22.21% in ZnO-NP treatments compared to the control. Total accumulation of TPH increased by 80.86% and 74.15%, and PAHs by 71.26% and 65.35%. Nanomaterial-amended variants also showed a reduction in toxicity units to 2.50–3.30. These results indicate that combining nanomaterials with bioaugmentation significantly enhances phytoremediation efficiency while reducing soil toxicity. Full article

Urban river degradation demands remediation strategies that are both environmentally sustainable and technically feasible. This study evaluated the performance of Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) vegetated with Chrysopogon zizanioides (vetiver) and incorporating four substrate configurations: leaf litter (LL), red volcanic rock (RVR), corn cobs (CC), and a composite mixture of all three, for the rehabilitation of the “Paseo de Los Ahuehuetes” River in Veracruz, Mexico. Over a 182-day monitoring period, in situ water quality parameters and plant growth responses were systematically assessed. The results indicate that substrate selection is a decisive design factor governing the establishment and development of C. zizanioides in FTWs. Among the substrates tested, LL exhibited the most favorable performance, achieving the highest plant survival (82%), enhanced shoot elongation (71.5 ± 12.1 cm), greater root development (49.7 ± 10.0 cm), and the highest relative growth rate (0.028 g g⁻¹ d⁻¹), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) compared to CC. Additionally, localized improvements in water quality within the FTW zone were observed, including an increase in dissolved oxygen (2.07%) and a reduction in total dissolved solids (5.65%), likely associated with intensified rhizospheric processes. Overall, these findings identify leaf litter as a low-cost, locally available, and environmentally sustainable substrate that enhances vetiver establishment in FTWs. The study provides practical, evidence-based criteria for the design of nature-based phytoremediation systems aimed at the restoration of urban river ecosystems. Full article

A new rhodamine-based fluorescent probe (RDC, rhodamine-based derivative) was rationally designed and synthesized for the highly selective, sensitive, and quantitative detection of Cu²⁺. The probe demonstrated outstanding specificity toward Cu²⁺, even in the presence of competing metal ions (e.g., Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Cr³⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺), exhibiting negligible interference and confirming its robust anti-interference capability. A spectroscopic analysis revealed that Cu²⁺ induced spirocyclic ring cleavage, resulting in a colorless-to-pink colorimetric transition and enhancement of the yellow–green fluorescence at 590 nm. Upon addition of Cu²⁺, the fluorescence spectrum showed a linear response in the concentration range of 0.4–20 μM, with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9907 and the limit of detection (LOD) calculated to be 0.12 μM. Meanwhile, Job’s plot analysis verified that the binding stoichiometry between RDC and Cu²⁺ was 1:1. The probe exhibits rapid response kinetics (<5 min) and non-destructiveness properties, enabling in vivo imaging. Under stress conditions, Cu²⁺ accumulated predominantly in root tips (its primary target tissue), with the following distribution hierarchy: root tips > maturation zone epidermis > xylem vessels > cortical cell walls. In conclusion, RDC is a well-characterized, high-performance tool with high accuracy, excellent selectivity, and superior sensitivity for plant Cu²⁺ studies, and this work opens new technical avenues for rhodamine-based probes in plant physiology, environmental toxicity monitoring, and rational design of phytoremediation strategies. Full article

Phytoremediation has emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for mitigating contamination in soil and water systems, utilizing plants and their associated microbial consortia to uptake, degrade, or immobilize pollutants. This review synthesizes findings from over 100 peer-reviewed publications and case studies to identify key parameters influencing phytoremediation efficiency, including contaminant bioavailability, chemical speciation, concentration levels (ranging from trace to >100 mg/L), plant species suitability, hydraulic retention time, and temperature ranges (10–35 °C). Despite its proven potential, the absence of standardized design frameworks limits consistent implementation and cross-site performance comparability. To address this, the study proposes a conceptual system design framework supported by measurable performance metrics—such as pollutant removal efficiency (often >70% for heavy metals) and biomass uptake capacity. The review further examines regulatory and policy gaps that hinder the technology’s integration into national remediation strategies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It underscores the need for technical guidelines, regulatory benchmarks, and protocols for post-treatment biomass management to enable safe, effective, and scalable deployment. By advocating a multi-stakeholder, evidence-based approach, the study aims to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and environmental governance, positioning phytoremediation as a viable tool for pollution control, ecosystem restoration, and alignment with global sustainability targets. Full article

Intercropping, especially legume-cereal systems, is a mixed farming approach that can improve agricultural resilience by addressing challenges such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and global change, all while promoting the sustainable production of protein-rich and nutritious food. However, its adoption in industrialized countries remains limited due to economic and technical challenges, as well as a fragmented understanding of soil–plant-microbe interactions, which hinders its complete optimization. This article provides an overview of the current situation and future perspectives on the importance of legume–cereal intercropping, with examples such as common bean–maize, soybean–maize, alfalfa–corn–rye, and legumes–pulses–little millet systems. These combinations highlight how intercropping can improve nutrient cycling, increase root growth, forage and grain yield, suppress soil-borne diseases, and promote soil microbial population and enzymatic activity. While it offers environmental benefits, practical challenges such as system design, management complexity, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed to encourage wider adoption. In preparing this review, we synthesized studies published between 2000 and 2025, with a particular emphasis on recent research from China and Southeast Asia. We also considered broader intercropping contexts, including energy crops, agroforestry systems, rice paddy co-cultures, and phytoremediation approaches. The review also highlights legume–cereal as a solution to sustainable soil management, ecosystem health, and the potential for increased nutritional food production in developed countries. Full article

Cadmium contamination in soil threatens ecological safety and human health. Phytoremediation has gained attention due to its cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability. Studies show that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria can enhance the ability of hyperaccumulator plants to remove heavy metals. This research aimed to isolate and identify plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria under Cd stress and assess their impact on the growth and Cd accumulation of Solanum nigrum L. Six bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of S. nigrum, all showing high Cd tolerance. Among them, LKT25 exhibited multiple growth-promoting traits, including indole-3-acetic acid production, nitrogen fixation, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, and siderophore synthesis. Under varying Cd concentrations (5, 25, and 50 mg/kg), the Bacillus thuringiensis strain LKT25 significantly improved Cd removal by S. nigrum. At 5 mg/kg Cd, the removal efficiency reached 45.13%. LKT25 also enhanced plant growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity, contributing to improved Cd remediation. This study provides new microbial resources and technical support for using rhizobacteria in remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils. Full article

The post-treatment of heavy metal-enriched plants in mining areas and the purification of ammonia and nitrogen pollution in water bodies are significant for the ecological environment of ionic rare earth mining areas. Herein, we focused on the biochar production potential of Dicranopteris pedata, characterizing biochar prepared by an oxidative modification process and an iron modification process. We conducted adsorption experiments to comparatively investigate the adsorption performance of biochar on NH₄⁺ and studied the fertilizer application and migration toxicity of the adsorbed biochar for rare earth elements (REEs). Results indicated that ~332.09 g of biochar could be produced per unit area of D. pedata under 100% clipping conditions. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of oxidized biochar (H₂O₂BC) increased, and the pore size of iron-modified biochar increased. The adsorption behavior of biochar toward NH₄⁺ was well represented by the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. H₂O₂BC demonstrated the strongest adsorption of NH₄⁺ with maximum theoretical equilibrium adsorption of 43.40 mg·g⁻¹, 37.14% higher than that of pristine biochar. The adsorption process of NH₄⁺ on biochar is influenced by various physicochemical mechanisms, including pore absorption, electrostatic attraction, and functional group complexation. Furthermore, the metal ions in the biochar did not precipitate during the reaction process. The adsorbed NH₄⁺ biochar promoted the growth of honey pomelo without risking REE pollution to the environment. Therefore, it can be applied as a nitrogen-carrying rare earth fertilizer in low rare earth areas. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the phytoremediation post-treatment of rare earth mining areas and the improvement of ammonia nitrogen wastewater management pathways in mining areas. Full article

The prolonged duration of phytoremediation poses a risk of heavy metal dispersal to the surrounding environment. This study investigated a combined remediation approach for cadmium (Cd)- and arsenic (As)-contaminated soil by integrating phytoremediation with stabilization techniques. Bidens pilosa was utilized as the phytoremediator, and steel slag, pyrolusite, and FeSO₄ were employed as stabilizing agents in the pot experiments. Key metrics such as soil moisture content, root length, plant height, and heavy metal concentrations in Bidens pilosa were measured to evaluate the remediation efficacy. Additionally, the bioavailability, leaching toxicity, and chemical forms of Cd and As, along with other soil properties, were analyzed. The results indicated that the optimal restoration effect was achieved by combining steel slag, pyrolusite, and FeSO₄ with stabilizers in a ratio of 2:1:10. Additionally, the optimal dosage of these materials was found to be 9% by weight. Mechanistic studies, including heavy metal speciation analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and microbial community diversity analysis, revealed that the stabilization effects were primarily due to the interactions of anionic and cationic ions, chelation by organic acids secreted by plant roots, and enhanced microbial activity. A cost–benefit analysis demonstrated the technical, economic, and commercial viability of the combined remediation approach. Full article

The increase in industrialization has led to an exponential increase in heavy metal (HM) soil contamination, which poses a serious threat to public health and ecosystem stability. This review emphasizes the urgent need to develop innovative technologies for the environmental remediation of intensive anthropogenic pollution. Phytoremediation is a sustainable and cost-effective approach for the detoxification of contaminated soils using various plant species. This review discusses in detail the basic principles of phytoremediation and emphasizes its ecological advantages over other methods for cleaning contaminated areas and its technical viability. Much attention has been given to the selection of hyperaccumulator plants for phytoremediation that can grow on heavy metal-contaminated soils, and the biochemical mechanisms that allow these plants to isolate, detoxify, and accumulate heavy metals are discussed in detail. The novelty of our study lies in reviewing the mechanisms of plant–microorganism interactions that greatly enhance the efficiency of phytoremediation as well as in discussing genetic modifications that could revolutionize the cleanup of contaminated soils. Moreover, this manuscript discusses potential applications of phytoremediation beyond soil detoxification, including its role in bioenergy production and biodiversity restoration in degraded habitats. This review concludes by listing the serious problems that result from anthropogenic environmental pollution that future generations still need to overcome and suggests promising research directions in which the integration of nano- and biotechnology will play an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of phytoremediation. These contributions are critical for environmental scientists, policy makers, and practitioners seeking to utilize phytoremediation to maintain the ecological stability of the environment and its restoration. Full article

The green and efficient remediation of soil cadmium (Cd) is an urgent task, and plant-microbial joint remediation has become a research hotspot due to its advantages. High-throughput sequencing and metabolomics have technical advantages in analyzing the microbiological mechanism of plant growth-promoting bacteria in improving phytoremediation of soil heavy metal pollution. In this experiment, a pot trial was conducted to investigate the effects of inoculating the plant growth-promoting bacterium Enterobacter sp. VY on the growth and Cd remediation efficiency of the energy plant Hybrid pennisetum. The test strain VY-1 was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics to assess its effects on microbial community composition and metabolic function. The results demonstrated that Enterobacter sp. VY-1 effectively mitigated Cd stress on Hybrid pennisetum, resulting in increased plant biomass, Cd accumulation, and translocation factor, thereby enhancing phytoremediation efficiency. Analysis of soil physical-chemical properties revealed that strain VY-1 could increase soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, and available potassium content. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) indicated that strain VY-1 significantly influenced bacterial community composition, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, among others, being the main differential taxa. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that available phosphorus, available potassium, and pH were the primary factors affecting bacterial communities. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) demonstrated that strain VY-1 modulated the metabolite profile of Hybrid pennisetum rhizosphere soil, with 27 differential metabolites showing significant differences, including 19 up-regulated and eight down-regulated expressions. These differentially expressed metabolites were primarily involved in metabolism and environmental information processing, encompassing pathways such as glutamine and glutamate metabolism, α-linolenic acid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and purine metabolism. This study utilized 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics technology to investigate the impact of the plant growth-promoting bacterium Enterobacter sp. VY-1 on the growth and Cd enrichment of Hybrid pennisetum, providing insights into the regulatory role of plant growth-promoting bacteria in microbial community structure and metabolic function, thereby improving the microbiological mechanisms of phytoremediation. Full article

Pb endangers forest ecological health; phytoremediation is an effective Pb remediation technology. Woody plants with Pb tolerance provided a mechanism for the phytoremediation of Pb. Paulownia fortunei (L.), a fast-growing woody plant, has a good tolerance to Pb. However, its tolerance mechanism is unclear. The results in this study revealed that P. fortunei seedlings can withstand 400 mg·L⁻¹ Pb stress. The quantification of Pb in different P. fortunei tissues showed an increasing trend of accumulation in root > leaf > stem; the transport coefficient and enrichment coefficient decreased with an increase in Pb concentration. The tolerance of P. fortunei to Pb may be related to cell partition and immobilization by the cell wall. Microstructural analysis performed using scanning electron microscopy showed that the absorbed Pb is mainly distributed in cell wall components, and when the concentration of Pb increases, it can be transferred to soluble parts and organelles. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometry results showed that excess hydroxyl groups occurred under Pb stress in the outer epidermis cell walls of roots and leaves adsorbing heavy metals. When the concentration of Pb was over 400 mg·L⁻¹, the growth of P. fortunei was inhibited, the root cell wall was deformed, the plasmolysis occurred in the cauline cell, and the internal leaf capsule was ruptured. Furthermore, antioxidant enzyme activity was significantly reduced. Therefore, P. fortunei can transfer the underground part of Pb to the aboveground part up to the concentration of 400 mg·L⁻¹. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for fully utilizing woody plant resources to restore the ecological environment of forests. Full article

Phytotechnologies used for cleaning up urban and suburban polluted soils (i.e., brownfields) have shown some weakness in the excessive extent of the timeframe required for them to be effectively operating. This bottleneck is due to technical constraints, mainly related to both the nature of the pollutant itself (e.g., low bio-availability, high recalcitrance, etc.) and the plant (e.g., low pollution tolerance, low pollutant uptake rates, etc.). Despite the great efforts made in the last few decades to overcome these limitations, the technology is in many cases barely competitive compared with conventional remediation techniques. Here, we propose a new outlook on phytoremediation, where the main goal of decontaminating should be re-evaluated, considering additional ecosystem services (ESs) related to the establishment of a new vegetation cover on the site. The aim of this review is to raise awareness and stress the knowledge gap on the importance of ES associated with this technique, which can make phytoremediation a valuable tool to boost an actual green transition process in planning urban green spaces, thereby offering improved resilience to global climate change and a higher quality of life in cities. This review highlights that the reclamation of urban brownfields through phytoremediation may provide several regulating (i.e., urban hydrology, heat mitigation, noise reduction, biodiversity, and CO₂ sequestration), provisional (i.e., bioenergy and added-value chemicals), and cultural (i.e., aesthetic, social cohesion, and health) ESs. Although future research should specifically be addressed to better support these findings, acknowledging ES is crucial for an exhaustive evaluation of phytoremediation as a sustainable and resilient technology. Full article

Since conventional ecological remediation technologies are often unreliable and inefficient, the use of phytoremediation, which uses plants to restore damaged or polluted environments, has been actively developed. In particular, phytoremediation for the management of abandoned mines has gained public acceptance due to its aesthetic advantages, environmental friendliness, use of solar energy, and low remediation costs. In this article, we review the current status of the phytoremediation of abandoned mines in Korea and the challenges that are faced. The technical and policy challenges that need to be overcome for the successful application of phytoremediation in Korea are discussed, along with its potential for use in sustainable ecosystem management. To fully deploy phytoremediation technology in old mining areas, further basic and applied research are required. Full article

Natural and technical phytoremediation approaches were compared for their efficacy in decontaminating oil-polluted soil. We examined 20 oil-contaminated sites of 800 to 12,000 m² each, with different contamination types (fresh or aged) and levels (4.2–27.4 g/kg). The study was conducted on a field scale in the industrial and adjacent areas of a petroleum refinery. Technical remediation with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), nitrogen fertilizer, and soil agrotechnical treatment was used to clean up 10 sites contaminated by oil hydrocarbons (average concentration, 13.7 g/kg). In technical phytoremediation, the per-year decontamination of soil was as high as 72–90%, whereas in natural phytoremediation (natural attenuation with native vegetation) at 10 other oil-contaminated sites, per-year decontamination was as high as that only after 5 years. Rhizodegradation is supposed as the principal mechanisms of both phytoremediation approaches. Full article

Farmers are one of the major uncertainty factors in remediation of contamination farmland. Based on the face-to-face questionnaire survey data of 553 farmers in 4 heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soil remediation projects in China, this study used methods, such as structural equation modeling and random forest to explore farmers’ willingness to remediate, technology preference, and their key influencing factors for the first time. The results showed that farmers were willing to remediate contaminated soil and preferred phytoremediation, with 82.8% choosing phytoremediation, 12.5% choosing passivation, and 4.7% believing that the soil did not need to be remediated. In terms of willingness to remediate, the perceived benefits from participation in current remediation projects directly contributed to future willingness, with participation status (total impact coefficient 0.86) and perceived benefits (impact coefficient 0.49) being the main factors positively influencing farmers’ willingness. With regard to technology preference, technical characteristics (soil quality, 17.1%; secondary contamination, 16.8%; and remediation period, 11.5%) were the main influencing factors. The sustainability of passivation effect and the possible secondary contamination restrict the promotion of passivation, whereas the cessation of agricultural production during the long remediation period restricts the promotion of phytoremediation. It is recommended to increase farmers’ willingness to remediate by improving their perceived benefits and continuously overcoming the technical barriers by: (i) developing efficient and green passivators; and (ii) improving the efficiency of phytoremediation as well as intercropping or rotating cash crops while remediating. The results have important reference value for soil remediation in agricultural countries with small arable land per capita. Full article