Dear Colleagues,

Nutrients uptake are basic requirements for plant biomass production. Well balanced nutrients availability in the soil is substantial to the plant physiology and development. Nutrients available amounts and composition and plants uptake vary by soil physical, chemical and biological components. Anthropogenic processes in the agroecosystems are often responsible of soil content nutrients, due to the agronomic techniques and inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, organic manures, etc.) applied. Different trace elements, such as Mn, Fe, B, etc., are micronutrients essential to plant growth. If in high concentrations some of these elements, such as As are toxic to living organisms and are often considered as contaminants. The anthropic inputs and activities and the farming practices can increase trace elements in the soil, which pose a “One health” risk.

This special issue aims to provide research advancements of methods and tools to identify, monitor and remove contaminants in soils, especially considering Nature Based Solutions (NBS) as well as sustainable and cost-effectiveness chemical-physical methods.

The characterization of these processes in plant and soil systems allows to face global social challenges such as environmental quality, ecosystems equilibria, human health, sustainable development, availability of resources. We invite contributions dealing with Heavy Metals and Trace Elements, NBS, sediment and soil geochemistry.

Emphasis will be given to studies that address topics about:

1. behavior of Trace Elements in Plant-Soil System, chemical processes involved in the transformation and processes controlling bioavailability and mobility of trace elements in soils;
2. uptake, translocation, and transformation of trace elements in crop plant-soil-microbe system;
3. bioavailability, phytoavailability, bioaccessibility and risk assessment of essential and non-essential elements in agri-food and soil;
4. focus on the balance of trace elements in an agroecosystem;
5. biotechnology and nanotechnology to regulate trace elements’ behavior in the plant-soil system;
6. new technology for characterizing chemical forms and bioavailability of trace elements in agricultural soils;
7. soil trace elements as affected by climate change;
8. agronomic techniques and anthropogenic activities contribution to soil trace elements contents.

Dr. Silvia Rita Stazi
Dr. Patrizia Brunetti
Dr. Enrica Allevato
Guest Editors

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• bioavailability
• phytoavailability
• bioaccessibility
• balance of trace elements agronomic techniques
• natural based solution