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Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation, and...
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Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation, and Detection Techniques

A special issue of Journal of Xenobiotics (ISSN 2039-4713).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2581

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Liugen Zheng

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Anhui Province Engineering Research Center for Mine Ecological Remediation, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Interests: environmental geochemistry; mine environmental engineering; ecological geology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xing Chen

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei 230601, China
Interests: heavy metals; isotopes; ecological risks; soil; watershed

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal pollution poses a critical threat to ecosystems and human health due to its persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Understanding the environmental behavior of heavy metals—from their release into ecosystems to their long-term impacts—is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies. This Special Issue, "Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation and Detection Techniques", invites researchers to contribute cutting-edge studies that address the dynamic pathways and ecological risks of heavy metals and innovative methods for their detection in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric systems.

We welcome original research, reviews, and case studies focusing on the following. Migration Mechanisms: investigations into the transport pathways of heavy metals across environmental matrices, including soil–water interactions, atmospheric deposition, and biogeochemical cycling. Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicity: studies on metal uptake by biota, trophic transfer dynamics, and ecotoxicological impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Advanced Detection and Monitoring: novel analytical techniques (e.g., spectroscopy, biosensors, nanomaterials) and modeling approaches for the real-time tracking and predictive analysis of metal contamination. Remediation and Risk Management: sustainable strategies for metal immobilization, phytoremediation, and policy frameworks to reduce environmental exposure. Emerging Challenges: the impacts of climate change, industrial activities, and urbanization on metal mobilization and distribution.

Prof. Dr. Liugen Zheng
Guest Editor

Dr. Xing Chen
Co-Guest Editor

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. Journal of Xenobiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1600 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 metal contamination
  • environmental fate
  • migration mechanisms
  • bioaccumulation
  • detection techniques
  • ecotoxicity
  • remediation strategies
  • pollution monitoring
  • risk assessment
  • climate change impacts

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3706 KB  
Article
Carbonation of Calcined Clay Dolomite for the Removal of Co(II): Performance and Mechanism
by Can Wang, Jingxian Xu, Tingting Gao, Xiaomei Hong, Fakang Pan, Fuwei Sun, Kai Huang, Dejian Wang, Tianhu Chen and Ping Zhang
J. Xenobiot. 2026, 16(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox16010013 - 13 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 645
Abstract
The rising levels of Co(II) in aquatic environments present considerable risks, thereby necessitating the development of effective remediation strategies. This study introduces an innovative pre-hydration method for synthesizing carbonated calcined clay dolomite (CCCD) to efficiently remove Co(II) from contaminated water. This pre-hydration treatment [...] Read more.
The rising levels of Co(II) in aquatic environments present considerable risks, thereby necessitating the development of effective remediation strategies. This study introduces an innovative pre-hydration method for synthesizing carbonated calcined clay dolomite (CCCD) to efficiently remove Co(II) from contaminated water. This pre-hydration treatment successfully reduced the complete carbonation temperature of the material from 500 °C to 400 °C, significantly enhancing energy efficiency. The Co(II) removal performance was systematically investigated by varying key parameters such as contact time, initial Co(II) concentration, pH, and solid/liquid ratio. Optimal removal was achieved at 318 K with pH of 4 and a solid/liquid ratio of 0.5 g·L−1. Continuous flow column experiments confirmed the excellent long-term stability of CCCD, maintaining a consistent Co(II) removal efficiency of 99.0% and a stable effluent pH of 8.5 over one month. Isotherm and kinetic models were used to empirically describe concentration-dependent and time-dependent uptake behavior. The equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir model, while kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model. An apparent maximum removal capacity of 621.1 mg g−1 was obtained from Langmuir fitting of equilibrium uptake data. Mechanistic insights from Visual MINTEQ calculations and solid phase characterizations (XRD, XPS, and TEM) indicate that Co(II) removal is dominated by mineral water interface precipitation. The gradual hydration of periclase (MgO) forms Mg(OH)2, which creates localized alkaline microenvironments at particle surfaces and drives Co(OH)2 formation. Carbonate availability further favors CoCO3 formation and retention on CCCD. Importantly, this localized precipitation pathway maintains a stable, mildly alkaline effluent pH (around 8.5), reducing downstream pH adjustment demand and improving operational compatibility. Overall, CCCD combines high Co(II) immobilization efficiency, strong long-term stability, and an energy-efficient preparation route, supporting its potential for scalable remediation of Co(II) contaminated water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation, and Detection Techniques)
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17 pages, 11794 KB  
Article
Heavy Metals Environmental Fate in Metallurgical Solid Wastes: Occurrence, Leaching, and Ecological Risk Assessment
by Shuqin Li and Guohua Ni
J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15(6), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15060211 - 15 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1185
Abstract
The metallurgical industry generates substantial amounts of heavy metal-containing solid waste, posing significant environmental and health risks. This study systematically evaluates the environmental behavior and ecological risks of heavy metals in four typical metallurgical wastes: jarosite slag (SW1), electric arc furnace ash (SW2), [...] Read more.
The metallurgical industry generates substantial amounts of heavy metal-containing solid waste, posing significant environmental and health risks. This study systematically evaluates the environmental behavior and ecological risks of heavy metals in four typical metallurgical wastes: jarosite slag (SW1), electric arc furnace ash (SW2), chromium-containing sludge (SW3), and acid-base sludge (SW4). We demonstrate that particle size fundamentally governs heavy metal mobility, with fine-structured SW1 and SW2 (D50 = 4.76 µm and 1.34 µm) exhibiting enhanced metal mobility and bioavailability. In contrast, coarser SW3 and SW4 particles (D50 = 268.83 µm and 133.94 µm) retain heavy metals in more stable forms. Among all metals analyzed, cadmium (Cd) presents the most severe ecological threat, with acid-extractable fractions reaching 52% in SW2 and 45% in SW3—indicating high release potential under changing pH conditions. Risk assessment confirms high to very high ecological risks for Cd in both SW2 and SW3. Moreover, under acidic leaching conditions, SW1 and SW2 show significantly higher cumulative toxicity than SW3 and SW4. These findings highlight the critical role of waste-specific properties in controlling heavy metal fate and provide a scientific basis for targeted risk management and sustainable remediation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tracking the Environmental Fate of Heavy Metals: Migration, Accumulation, and Detection Techniques)
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