Safe Utilization and Ecological Restoration of Heavy Metal Polluted Farmland

Heavy metal pollution of farmland, a critical global environmental issue endangering food security, ecological balance and human health, is witnessing notable advances in the research of safe utilization and ecological restoration strategies, with eco-friendly remediation technologies gradually replacing traditional costly and disruptive physical and chemical methods to address the persistence and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in agricultural ecosystems. This Special Issue compiles cutting-edge research on the management of heavy metal-polluted farmland, covering contamination characterization and source apportionment, phytoremediation and plant tolerance exploration, soil amendment and immobilization technology development, as well as microbial response and ecological restoration mechanism research, with all studies based on Chinese case studies reflecting the remediation practices for farmland heavy metal pollution under rapid industrialization and intensive agriculture. The collected research offers practical technical solutions and theoretical insights for targeted pollution control, and further identifies key research directions such as combined pollution remediation, long-term field validation, multi-technology integration, risk assessment and safe utilization, and digitalized intelligent management, highlighting the necessity of an integrated approach combining ecological principles, economic benefits and technological innovations for farmland heavy metal pollution management, and providing valuable references for regions worldwide facing similar environmental challenges.