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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 15940

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rongkui Su

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: resource; environmental waste; high value utilization; environmental management; life cycle; water pollution control; emerging organic pollutants; environmental assessment; ecological restoration; adsorption; catalysis; water pollution; heavy metal
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yangyang Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
Interests: assessment and remediation of soil contamination

Prof. Dr. Shunhong Huang

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: ecological remediation technology of soil pollution

Dr. Runhua Chen

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Guest Editor

College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410007, China
Interests: heavy metals; nanoscale materials; microbial treatment technology; polymer adsorbent; hybrid polymeric materials; polymeric nanocomposites; polymer degradation
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Dr. Jun Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: mine ecological restoration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil pollution is a global challenge that has the characteristics of concealment, hysteresis and accumulation. Soil pollution is mostly derived from human activities such as random disposal of waste, sewage irrigation, abuse of pesticides and fertilizers, mining and ore processing. Bioremediation is an ecological technology for the restoration of polluted soil. Bioremediation technology includes many cost-effective and environmentally friendly plant- and microbe-assisted technologies, which are used to restore the health and productivity of soil in situ, mitigate the environmental impact of damaged soil, and recover economically valuable metals. Research progress in this field requires a deeper understanding of substrate-, plant- and microbe-related factors, which control the solubility, bioavailability, removal and recovery of soil pollutants. This Special Issue aims to bring together contributions of all aspects of bioremediation research including (but not limited to) laboratory and field research related to (i) green, safe and environmentally friendly bioremediation technologies; (ii) comprehensive repair technology combining multiple methods; and (iii) the final recovery of raw materials from plant/microbe biomass or leachates.

Dr. Rongkui Su
Dr. Yangyang Wang
Prof. Dr. Shunhong Huang
Dr. Runhua Chen
Dr. Jun Wang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

soil pollution
heavy metal
matrix improvement
phytoremediation
plant extraction
plant stability
tolerance mechanism
soil bioengineering
mine ecological restoration

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

6 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Application for Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil: Phytoremediation

by Rongkui Su, Yangyang Wang, Shunhong Huang, Runhua Chen and Jun Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13124; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013124 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2802

Abstract

Nowadays, with the rapid development of industry and agriculture, heavy metal pollution is becoming more and more serious, mainly deriving from natural and man-made sources [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

Research

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10 pages, 1604 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoremediation and Nurse Potential of Aloe Plants on Mine Tailings

by João Marcelo-Silva, Masego Ramabu and Stefan John Siebert

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021521 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2079

Abstract

Mine tailings are a source of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) worldwide. Phytoremediation is a low-cost green technology that uses metal-tolerant plants to extract these contaminants and rehabilitate the soil. In mine tailing restoration efforts, it can be beneficial to introduce species that can facilitate the colonization of other plants (i.e., nurse plant syndrome). In this study, the phytoremediation and nursing potential of two species adapted to metalliferous soil, Aloe burgersfortensis and A. castanea, were evaluated for the first time. An experiment was performed with aloe plants grown in pots containing potting soil, platinum tailings, and gold tailings. Leaves were assessed for bioaccumulation of PTMs. Seeds of Bermuda grass and African daisy, two successional pioneers, were planted with the aloes and had their developmental parameters evaluated after 30 days. Allelopathic effects were also assessed, with seeds of the pioneer plants infused with root extracts of the aloes from the different soil treatments. A. castanea demonstrated greater potential for the bioaccumulation of Cd, Co, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the tailings. The presence of aloes benefited germination rates, leaf count, length, and plant biomass of grasses and daisies in the mine tailings, without significant allelopathic effects. Therefore, aloes—especially A. castanea—should be employed in the rehabilitation of metal-contaminated soils to extract metals and to aid the establishment of other species to enhance the phytoremediation processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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16 pages, 1579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Ecological Service Function of Liquidambar formosana Plantations

by Jingdong Wu, Mingxu Wang, Tingting Wang and Xinxi Fu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215317 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1672

Abstract

A Liquidambar formosana plantation is a kind of fast-grown forest in the subtropical region, providing a variety of ecosystem services such as superior wood, carbon fixation and oxygen release, and biodiversity maintenance. However, the ecological service function value of Liquidambar formosana plantations is not clear. To gain insights into the characteristics and importance of its ecological and economic benefits, the Liquidambar formosana plantation in the Tianjiling Forest Farm of Changsha City was taken as the specific research object in this paper. The ecological service function evaluation index system for Liquidambar formosana plantations was established based on the relevant research worldwide and the actual situation. The market value method, shadow engineering method, carbon tax method, and other environmental economics methods were used to estimate the value of seven ecological service functions (including organic matter production, carbon fixation and oxygen release, water conservation, soil conservation, soil improvement, air purification, and biodiversity maintenance) of the forest of Liquidambar formosana. The results indicated that the total economic value of ecological service function provided by the Liquidambar formosana plantation of Changsha was 103,277.82 RMB/(hm²·a), and the indirect economic value was 8.47 times that of the direct economic value. Among the seven ecological service functions, the value of carbon fixation and oxygen release was the highest (36,703.33 RMB·hm⁻²·a⁻¹), thus suggesting that the Liquidambar formosana plantation had strong photosynthesis and significant carbon fixation. This study directly reflects the value of forest ecological service function in the form of currency, which is beneficial to provide more insights into forest ecological service function so as to provide basic data and a scientific basis for the protection, construction, and promotion of the sustainable utilization and development of urban forest resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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18 pages, 1902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for the Stabilization Effect of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soil Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

by Suxin Zhang, Cheng Hu and Jiemin Cheng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15296; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215296 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1953

Abstract

Stabilization technology is widely used in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated farmland soil. However, the evaluation method for the remediation effect is not satisfactory. To scientifically evaluate the remediation effect, this study constructed a comprehensive evaluation system by bibliometric analysis and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Ultimately, 16 indicators were selected from three aspects of the soil, crops, and amendment. The 16 indicators are divided into three groups, namely indicators I that can be evaluated according to the national standards of China, indicators II that can be evaluated according to the classification management of farmland and Indicators III that are the dynamic change indicators without an evaluation criterion. Comprehensive scores for 16 indicators were calculated using three response models, respectively. According to the difference between the scores before and after the remediation, the remediation effect is divided into five levels, which are excellent, good, qualified, poor, and very poor. This study provides a theoretical basis and insightful information for a farmland pollution remediation and a sustainable utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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17 pages, 7063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation on the Permeability Evaluation of a Hybrid Liner for the Prevention of Contaminant Diffusion in Soils Contaminated with Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon

by Jeongjun Park and Gigwon Hong

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13710; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013710 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1716

Abstract

This study describes the test results to evaluate the impermeability efficiency, according to the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) reaction time of a hybrid liner for preventing the TPH diffusion, and the numerical analysis results, according to the various TPH reaction times of the hybrid liner. The experimental results indicated that the hybrid liner performed effectively as an impermeable material under the condition of a 4 h reaction time between TPH and the hybrid liner. In other words, the permeability of the hybrid liner was lower than 7.64 × 10⁻⁷ cm/s when the reaction time of the TPH and the hybrid liner exceeded 4 h. This means that polynorbornene applied as a reactant becomes completely gelated four hours after it reacts with TPH, demonstrating its applicability as a liner. The numerical analysis results to evaluate the TPH diffusion, according to the hybrid liner-TPH reaction time indicated that the concentration decreased, compared to the initial concentration as the hybrid liner-TPH reaction time increased, regardless of the head-difference and the observation point for all concentration conditions. In addition, the reduction ratio of the concentration, compared to the initial concentration was 99% ~ 100%, when the reaction time of the hybrid liner-TPH was more than 4 h. It was found that the concentration diffusion of TPH reacting with the hybrid liner was decreased when the distance from the hybrid liner and the reaction time of the hybrid liner-TPH were increased. In other words, in the case of a high-TPH condition, the concentration reduction ratio is 12.5~17.8%, 16.9~29.7%, depending on the distance ratio (D/L = 0.06, 0.54, 0.94), respectively, when the reaction time of the hybrid liner-TPH is 0 h and 0.5 h, respectively. In the case of medium- and low-TPH conditions, the concentration reduction ratio, according to the distance ratio is 12.0% to 20.8% and 17.0% to 29.8%, respectively. This result means that a numerical analysis model can be used sufficiently to predict the TPH diffusion, according to the distance from the location where the hybrid liner is installed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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14 pages, 2127 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Evidence of Semi-Mangrove Plant Barringtonia racemosa in Soil Clean-Up: Tolerance and Absorption of Lead and Cadmium

by Fang Liang, Ju Hu, Bing Liu, Lin Li, Xiuling Yang, Caihong Bai and Xiaohui Tan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12947; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912947 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2000

Abstract

Mangrove plants play an important role in the remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated estuarine and coastal areas; Barringtonia racemosa is a typical semi-mangrove plant. However, the effect of heavy metal stress on this plant has not been explored. In this study, tolerance characteristics and the accumulation profile of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in B. racemosa were evaluated. The results indicated that B. racemosa exhibited a high tolerance in single Cd/Pb and Cd + Pb stress, with a significant increase in biomass yield in all treatment groups, a significant increase in plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll and carotenoid content in most treatment groups and without significant reduction of SOD, POD, MDA, proline content, Chl a, Chl b, Chl a + b, Car, ratio of Chl a:b and ratio of Car:Chl (a + b). Cd and Pb mainly accumulated in the root (≥93.43%) and the content of Cd and Pb in B. racemosa was root > stem > leaf. Pb showed antagonistic effects on the Cd accumulation in the roots and Cd showed antagonistic or synergistic effects on the Pb accumulation in the roots, which depended on the concentration of Cd and Pb. There was a significant synergistic effect of Cd and Pb enrichment under a low Cd and Pb concentration treatment. Thus, phytoremediation could potentially use B. racemosa for Cd and Pb. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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15 pages, 1694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Phytoremediation Potential of Nerium indicum with Inorganic Modifier Calcium Carbonate and Organic Modifier Mushroom Residue to Lead–Zinc Tailings

by Rongkui Su, Qiqi Ou, Hanqing Wang, Yiting Luo, Xiangrong Dai, Yangyang Wang, Yonghua Chen and Lei Shi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610353 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 2542

Abstract

At present, the application of phytoremediation technology in the ecological remediation of heavy metal tailings is receiving more and more attention. In this study, the physiological and biochemical response and tolerance mechanism of woody plant Nerium indicum to Pb and Zn under different proportions of inorganic modifier calcium carbonate (C1: 5%, C2: 10%, C3: 15%) and organic modifier mushroom residue (M1: 10%, M2: 20%, M3: 30%) was compared. The results showed that the pH value has a trend of C group > M group > CK group and organic matter has a trend of M group > CK group > C group. Phosphatase activity and catalase activity has a trend of M group > C group > CK group, but catalase was more vulnerable to the calcium carbonate concentration. Both modifiers can promote the transformation of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd in tailings to more stable organic bound and residual states. However, the stabilization effect of mushroom residue is better, and its stability is Pb, Zn > Cd, Cu. Both modifiers can increase the biomass of Nerium indicum and the modification effect of mushroom residue is better than calcium carbonate. Pb/Zn content and accumulation in Nerium indicum organs showed root > stem > leaf in all groups. Compared with the CK group, the enrichment coefficient of Pb/Zn in C1 and M1 groups decreased, while the translocation factor of Pb/Zn in C1 and M1 groups increased. With the increase in modifier concentration, the enrichment coefficient increases about 1.75~52.94%, but the translocation factor decreases rapidly (20.01~64.46%). Clearly, both the calcium carbonate and mushroom residue amendment could promote the growth ability of Nerium indicum in lead–zinc tailings and strengthen the phytoremediation potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration of Contaminated Soil)

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