Pedosphere 36(1): 254--277, 2026
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2026 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Sustainable phytoremediation technologies for the efficient removal of toxic metals from coal mining-contaminated soils with the potential approaches of circular bioeconomy |
Zahid BASHIR1, Deep RAJ1 , Rangabhashiyam SELVASEMBIAN1,2 |
1 Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240 (India);
2 Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240 (India) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Coal mining activities significantly impact the environment through water, soil, and air pollution of the surrounding areas. The dispersal of pollutants and the degradation of soil quality by toxic metals emitted from coal mining activities cause significant concerns worldwide, posing serious risks to ecosystems, human health, and vegetation. Restoration of quality of soil contaminated by toxic metals from coal mining is challenging due to the continuous increase in the concentration of toxic metals such as lead, copper, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic within the soil matrix. Conventional approaches utilized for the remediation of soil are often time-consuming and labour-intensive. In addition, they may lead to secondary pollution, particularly when applied at a large scale. Phytoremediation, a technique that utilizes plants with high metal accumulation capacity, has surfaced as a promising, eco-friendly strategy for remediating soil contaminated with toxic metals. These plants can absorb and sequester metals into above- and belowground tissues or stabilize them into less bioavailable forms within the rhizosphere. Species from families such as Brassicaceae and Asteraceae have demonstrated notable effectiveness in phytoremediation applications. The efficiency of phytoremediation can be further enhanced by applying organic and inorganic soil amendments to increase metal bioavailability and plant uptake. Moreover, genetic engineering has enabled the development of plants with improved metal tolerance and accumulation capacities. Complementing these approaches, microbial phytoremediation employs plant-associated microbes to facilitate metal uptake and transformation, increasing the overall remediation efficiency. Following remediation, biomass is proposed for value-added applications, including biochar, biogas, and recovery of metals for industrial reuse. This review summarizes the current progress, emerging strategies, and future prospects of phytoremediation for mitigating toxic metal pollution in coal mining-affected soils. Altogether, these approaches illustrate the potential of integrating circular bioeconomy principles in transforming phytoremediation as a sustainable strategy for mitigating toxic metal pollution in coal mining regions. |
| Key Words: acid mine drainage|biomass|heavy metals|hyperaccumulator plants|microbial phytoremediation|pollution mitigation|soil amendments |
| Citation: Bashir Z, Raj D, Selvasembian R. 2026. Sustainable phytoremediation technologies for the efficient removal of toxic metals from coal mining-contaminated soils with the potential approaches of circular bioeconomy. Pedosphere. 36(1): 254-277. |
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