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The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural...
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The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicity Reduction and Environmental Remediation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2025 | Viewed by 5410

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Peipei Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, China
Interests: soil remediation; biochar; heavy metal; environmental microorganism; environmental toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With rapid developments within industry and agriculture, various solid wastes, excessive pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxic substances have entered the soil, causing huge pollution in soil and plants, causing great adverse effects on human production and life. Soil pollution remediation is a solution that must be strengthened. The purpose of this Special Issue (VSI) is to publish state-of-art studies that gather current knowledge and answer pressing questions about heavy metals and toxicity of chemical pollutants in agricultural soil and plants. This Special Issue will focus on the environmental behavior of contaminants in agricultural soil, plants, and heavy metals, as well as the detection, remediation, and ecological risks of chemical pollutants. Potential topics for this VSI include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. The migration and transformation of heavy metals and chemical pollutants, especially new persistent organic pollutants (such as microplastics, antibiotics, PAHs, PFOA, etc.) in soil and plants;
  2. The detection of heavy metals and chemical pollutants in soil or plants;
  3. New and modified remediation materials (e.g., Biochar) and remediation technologies;
  4. The ecotoxicology of pollutants on soil or plants;
  5. Soil microorganisms.

Dr. Peipei Song
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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 metals
  • chemical pollutants
  • ecological risks
  • remediation
  • soil and plants
  • soil microorganisms
  • migration and transformation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1585 KiB  
Article
Assessing Environmental Risks of Local Contamination of Garden Urban Soils with Heavy Metals Using Ecotoxicological Tests
by Dariusz Gruszka, Iwona Gruss and Katarzyna Szopka
Toxics 2024, 12(12), 873; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12120873 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 613
Abstract
Heavy metal soil contamination in urban areas poses a significant environmental hazard, particularly in regions with historical or ongoing industrial activities. These areas are often polluted with metals such as Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn, which can be absorbed by plants and pose [...] Read more.
Heavy metal soil contamination in urban areas poses a significant environmental hazard, particularly in regions with historical or ongoing industrial activities. These areas are often polluted with metals such as Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn, which can be absorbed by plants and pose risks to both ecosystems and human health. This study investigates soil contamination in urban gardens in Wroclaw, Poland, where elevated levels of trace elements were detected. Standard soil analyses, including macroelement content, granulometry, and trace element concentrations, were performed alongside an ecotoxicological evaluation using an Ostracodtoxkit test. The test evaluates the impact of contaminants on organism growth. An uncontaminated urban garden soil served as a reference. This study revealed that Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd concentrations in soils exceeded limits permitted by Polish regulations in several soil samples. Despite the high concentrations of total metals, the bioavailable forms of these metals (measured by extraction of 1 M NH4NO3 extraction) were significantly lower, highlighting that the total metal content may not fully reflect the environmental risk. Pb was identified as the primary contributor to growth inhibition of test organisms, showing a particularly strong correlation with ecotoxicity. These findings underscore the importance of using ecotoxicological tests to evaluate soil contamination risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation)
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23 pages, 5978 KiB  
Article
The Role of Metal Tolerance Proteins (MTPs) Associated with the Homeostasis of Divalent Mineral Elements in Ga-Treated Rice Plants
by Hao Zhan, Cheng-Zhi Li, Yi Kang and Xiao-Zhang Yu
Toxics 2024, 12(11), 831; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12110831 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 800
Abstract
Mineral elements typically act as transported substrates for metal tolerance proteins (MTPs). The chelation of MTPs with heavy metal ions is a suggestive detoxification pathway in plants; therefore, the trade-off between transporting mineral elements and chelating excess toxic metal ions is inevitable. Gallium [...] Read more.
Mineral elements typically act as transported substrates for metal tolerance proteins (MTPs). The chelation of MTPs with heavy metal ions is a suggestive detoxification pathway in plants; therefore, the trade-off between transporting mineral elements and chelating excess toxic metal ions is inevitable. Gallium (Ga) is an emerging pollutant associated with high-tech industries. This study investigated the impact of Ga stress on MTPs, subsequently altering the transport and distribution of mineral elements. Gallium exposure reduced rice seedling biomass, with roots accumulating more Ga than shoots. Ga stress also changed the rice plants’ subcellular mineral element distribution. PCR assays showed that Ga stress negatively affected all genes belonging to the Mn group, except OsMTP9. While Mn accumulation in the rice cellular compartments did not respond positively to Ga stress, OsMTP8, OsMTP8.1, OsMTP11, and OsMTP11.1 were found to be intimately connected to Mn transport and repressed by increased Ga accumulation in roots. Mg and Cu accumulated in the cytosol and organelles of Ga-treated rice plants, while OsMTP9 expression increased, demonstrating its importance in transporting Mg and Cu. A positive link between Ga stress and Zn accumulation in the cytosol and organelles was found, and OsMTP7 and OsMTP12 expression was positive, suggesting that Ga stress did not impair their Zn transport. Notably, Ga exposure down-regulated Fe-transporting OsMTP1 and OsMTP6, wherein the subcellular concentrations of Fe showed negative responses to Ga accumulation. These findings provide valuable insights into elucidating the roles of OsMTPs in Ga tolerance and the transport of these mineral elements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation)
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10 pages, 3286 KiB  
Article
Comparative Remediation of Arsenic and Antimony Co-Contaminated Soil by Iron- and Manganese-Modified Activated Carbon and Biochar
by Jiayi Han, Chuang Zhao, Min Yang, Mingheng Ye, Yani Li, Keke Zhou, Junrui Zhang and Peipei Song
Toxics 2024, 12(10), 740; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12100740 - 12 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1525
Abstract
At present, soil contaminated with arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) is escalating at an alarming rate, which is harmful to human health. In this study, Fe- and Mn-modified activated carbon (AC) and biochar (BC) were prepared and compared for the remediation of As- [...] Read more.
At present, soil contaminated with arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) is escalating at an alarming rate, which is harmful to human health. In this study, Fe- and Mn-modified activated carbon (AC) and biochar (BC) were prepared and compared for the remediation of As- and Sb-contaminated soil. The effects on the speciation of As and Sb, soil pH, organic matter (SOM), and enzyme activity with various dosages and remediation times were investigated. The results showed that on the whole, the best stabilization effect of As and Sb was achieved with 3% FeMnBC. Furthermore, with increases in time and dosage, the immobilization effect on As and Sb was more significant. Fe/Mn-modified AC and BC enhanced soil pH, with 3% MnAC being particularly effective; 3% AC and 3% FeMnAC demonstrated the most pronounced enhancement in SOM. The modified carbon materials exhibited a dramatic increase in enzymatic activity. In particular, urease activity showed an increasing trend, and catalase activity first decreased and then increased over 30 days. Among the treatments, 3% MnAC showed the most significant enhancements in catalase and urease activities, whereas 1% FeMnBC had the most pronounced effect on increasing sucrase activity. This study provides theoretical support for the remediation of soil co-contaminated with As and Sb by Fe/Mn-modified AC and BC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation)
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20 pages, 5614 KiB  
Article
GIS- and Multivariate-Based Approaches for Assessing Potential Environmental Hazards in Some Areas of Southwestern Saudi Arabia
by Hassan Alzahrani, Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy, Abdurraouf Okok and Mohamed S. Shokr
Toxics 2024, 12(8), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080569 - 3 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 926
Abstract
Soil contamination is a major issue that endangers the ecology in most countries. Total concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, VFe, and Zn were determined by analyzing soil samples from 32 surface soil samples in southwest Saudi Arabia, including [...] Read more.
Soil contamination is a major issue that endangers the ecology in most countries. Total concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, VFe, and Zn were determined by analyzing soil samples from 32 surface soil samples in southwest Saudi Arabia, including certain areas of Al-Baha. Kriging techniques were used to create maps of the distribution of metal. To assess the levels of soil contamination in the research area, principal component analysis (PCA), contamination factors (CF), and pollution load index were used. The results show the stable model gave the best fit to the As and Zn semivariograms. The circular model fits the Cd, Co, and Ni semivariograms the best, while the exponential model fits the Cr, V, and Fe semivariograms the best. For Ni and Pb, respectively, spherical and Gaussian models are fitted. The findings demonstrated two clusters containing different soil heavy metal concentrations. According to the data, there were two different pollution levels in the research region: 36.58% of it is strongly contaminated, while 63.41% of it has a moderate level of contamination (with average levels of these metals 5.28 ± 5.83, 0.81 ± 0.19, 18.65 ± 6.22, 45.15 ± 23.25, 60.55 ± 23.74, 972.30 ± 223.50, 33.45 ± 14.11, 10.05 ± 5.13, 84.15 ± 30.72, 97.40 ± 30.05, and 43,245.00 ± 8942.95 mg kg−1 for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Fe, and Zn, respectively). The research area’s poor management practices are reflected in the current results, which raised the concentration of harmful elements in the soil’s surface layers. Ultimately, the outcomes of pollution concentration and spatial distribution maps could aid in informing decision-makers when creating suitable heavy metal mitigation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation)
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Review

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16 pages, 282 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of the Application and Potential of Straw Biochar in the Remediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soil
by Lei Xu, Feifei Zhao, Jianbiao Peng, Mingfei Ji and B. Larry Li
Toxics 2025, 13(2), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13020069 - 21 Jan 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
With the rapid development of industry and agriculture, soil heavy metal contamination has become an important environmental issue faced today and has gradually attracted widespread attention. Finding a cheap, widely available, and biodegradable material that can promote crop growth and stabilize heavy metals [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of industry and agriculture, soil heavy metal contamination has become an important environmental issue faced today and has gradually attracted widespread attention. Finding a cheap, widely available, and biodegradable material that can promote crop growth and stabilize heavy metals has become a research focus. Crop straw biochar, due to its high specific surface area, rich surface functional groups, and high cation exchange capacity (CEC), has shown good effects on the remediation of inorganic and organic pollutants in the environment. This article reviews recent research on the use of crop straw biochar for soil heavy metal contamination remediation, providing a detailed analysis from the preparation, characteristics, modification of crop straw biochar, mechanisms for reducing the toxicity of heavy metals in soil, and its application and risks in remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils. It also comprehensively discusses the potential application of crop straw biochar in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The results show that crop straw biochar can be used as a new type of immobilizing material for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils, but there are issues with the remediation technology that needs to be optimized and innovated, which poses challenges to the widespread application of crop straw biochar. In the future, efforts should be strengthened to optimize and innovate the application technology of crop straw biochar, conduct research on the remediation effects of cheap modified crop straw biochar and the co-application of crop straw biochar with other immobilizing materials on heavy metal-contaminated soils, and carry out long-term monitoring of the effects of crop straw biochar in soil heavy metal remediation in order to achieve the goal of ensuring food safety and the rational use of solid waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Toxicity of Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Remediation)
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