Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies

Soil is an indispensable entity for agriculture, and its health is essential to ensure phenomenal and sustainable agricultural practices. However, the increasing need for food security and the growth of industrial urbanization have led to soil pollution posing a significant threat to soil health, th...

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Main Authors: Esther Chidinma Chukwu, Coskun Gulser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Soil Security
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667006225000036
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author Esther Chidinma Chukwu
Coskun Gulser
author_facet Esther Chidinma Chukwu
Coskun Gulser
author_sort Esther Chidinma Chukwu
collection DOAJ
description Soil is an indispensable entity for agriculture, and its health is essential to ensure phenomenal and sustainable agricultural practices. However, the increasing need for food security and the growth of industrial urbanization have led to soil pollution posing a significant threat to soil health, the environment, and public health. This study investigates the effects of heavy metals on plant anatomy, physiology, and morphology, focusing on how these metals displace essential nutrient uptake. Despite considerable research on soil contamination, gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms involved in heavy metals influencing plant health and the soil properties that govern their transformation, transport, and bioavailability. This study addresses these gaps by examining the impacts and mechanisms of heavy metal contamination on plant growth and identifying soil conditions that can mitigate contamination risks and remediation mechanisms. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study finds that heavy metals displace essential metal ions, inhibiting enzyme activity and disrupting critical processes. High concentrations of heavy metals produce free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells. This results in uncontrolled oxidation and the initiation of chain reactions with cellular biomolecules, causing oxidative stress and cellular damage. Additionally, this study highlights phytoremediation, bioremediation, and biochar as potential frameworks for remediating heavy metals contamination in agricultural soils. It proposes recommendations for future research to understand the synergistic effects of combining phytoremediation, bioremediation, and biochar which could lead to comprehensive soil remediation frameworks that are both economically feasible and environmentally friendly.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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series Soil Security
spelling doaj-art-04320e19bc224f9d9e84ea8cc3b8b9a82025-08-20T03:42:39ZengElsevierSoil Security2667-00622025-03-011810017810.1016/j.soisec.2025.100178Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologiesEsther Chidinma Chukwu0Coskun Gulser1Corresponding author.; Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Samsun, TurkiyeDepartment of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Samsun, TurkiyeSoil is an indispensable entity for agriculture, and its health is essential to ensure phenomenal and sustainable agricultural practices. However, the increasing need for food security and the growth of industrial urbanization have led to soil pollution posing a significant threat to soil health, the environment, and public health. This study investigates the effects of heavy metals on plant anatomy, physiology, and morphology, focusing on how these metals displace essential nutrient uptake. Despite considerable research on soil contamination, gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms involved in heavy metals influencing plant health and the soil properties that govern their transformation, transport, and bioavailability. This study addresses these gaps by examining the impacts and mechanisms of heavy metal contamination on plant growth and identifying soil conditions that can mitigate contamination risks and remediation mechanisms. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study finds that heavy metals displace essential metal ions, inhibiting enzyme activity and disrupting critical processes. High concentrations of heavy metals produce free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells. This results in uncontrolled oxidation and the initiation of chain reactions with cellular biomolecules, causing oxidative stress and cellular damage. Additionally, this study highlights phytoremediation, bioremediation, and biochar as potential frameworks for remediating heavy metals contamination in agricultural soils. It proposes recommendations for future research to understand the synergistic effects of combining phytoremediation, bioremediation, and biochar which could lead to comprehensive soil remediation frameworks that are both economically feasible and environmentally friendly.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667006225000036Heavy metalsSustainable agricultureMorphologySoil healthPhysiologyAnatomy
spellingShingle Esther Chidinma Chukwu
Coskun Gulser
Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
Soil Security
Heavy metals
Sustainable agriculture
Morphology
Soil health
Physiology
Anatomy
title Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
title_full Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
title_fullStr Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
title_full_unstemmed Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
title_short Morphological, physiological, and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
title_sort morphological physiological and anatomical effects of heavy metals on soil and plant health and possible remediation technologies
topic Heavy metals
Sustainable agriculture
Morphology
Soil health
Physiology
Anatomy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667006225000036
work_keys_str_mv AT estherchidinmachukwu morphologicalphysiologicalandanatomicaleffectsofheavymetalsonsoilandplanthealthandpossibleremediationtechnologies
AT coskungulser morphologicalphysiologicalandanatomicaleffectsofheavymetalsonsoilandplanthealthandpossibleremediationtechnologies