Ogunsola Samuel S, Oladele Olajumoke L, Abdulraheem Taofiq, Cooke Carolyn G
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, 33199, United States.
Analytical/Environmental Unit, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Chemosphere. 2025 Jun 26;385:144539. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144539.
The complete eradication of heavy metal pollution in the environment remains an unattainable goal soon, due to relentless increase in industrialization and urbanization. Consequently, the need for innovative, cost-effective, and eco-friendly remediation strategies to address heavy metal contamination has led researchers towards phytoremediation, utilizing the natural ability of plants to absorb and accumulate heavy metals. However, there is a persistent challenge in ensuring that the heavy metal absorbed by the accumulating plants (phytoaccumultaors) do not return into the soil or cause secondary contamination. Therefore, there is an exigent need for techniques that could stabilize/immobilize the phytoaccumulated heavy metals. Geopolymerization emerges as a technique with a proven capability to stabilize/immobilize heavy metals within its stable, three-dimensional framework. This review provides a concise overview of the mechanisms and techniques of phytoremediation and geopolymerization, then introduces an innovative synergistic approach to overcome the limitations of phytoremediation. By integrating these techniques, the potential for stabilizing phytoaccumulated heavy metals is unveiled, paving the way for sustainable environmental management. While only one study to date has directly investigated the possibility of stabilizing phytoaccumulated metals with geopolymers, this intersection represents a promising and underexplored field in heavy metal pollution management. Herein, existing knowledge was synthesized with the aim to inspire further research into this critical area of environmental chemistry, providing a valuable resource for researchers dedicated to advancing sustainable remediation strategies for heavy metal-contaminated soils.
由于工业化和城市化的持续加剧，在短期内完全消除环境中的重金属污染仍是一个无法实现的目标。因此，为应对重金属污染，需要创新、经济高效且环保的修复策略，这促使研究人员转向植物修复，即利用植物吸收和积累重金属的天然能力。然而，要确保积累植物（植物富集剂）吸收的重金属不会重新回到土壤或造成二次污染，仍然存在持续的挑战。因此，迫切需要能够稳定/固定植物积累的重金属的技术。地质聚合作为一种已被证实的技术，能够在其稳定的三维框架内稳定/固定重金属。本综述简要概述了植物修复和地质聚合的机制与技术，然后介绍了一种创新的协同方法，以克服植物修复的局限性。通过整合这些技术，揭示了稳定植物积累的重金属的潜力，为可持续环境管理铺平了道路。虽然迄今为止只有一项研究直接调查了用地质聚合物稳定植物积累的金属的可能性，但这一交叉领域在重金属污染管理中是一个有前景且未被充分探索的领域。在此，综合现有知识旨在激发对这一环境化学关键领域的进一步研究，为致力于推进重金属污染土壤可持续修复策略的研究人员提供宝贵资源。
