Heavy metal contamination in soil systems is an escalating global crisis, yet over 55% of urban agriculture literature focuses

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the stated research gap and abstract and stated challenges and future work of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 7 journals. Those papers have been cited 4 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 7 representative gaps

• Spatially Validated Graph-Based Mixture-of-Experts Modelling and Geodetector Attribution of Heavy Metal Contamination in European Topsoils (2026) · Applied Sciences · doi

  There is a need for a more accurate and spatially transferable approach to assess soil heavy metal contamination. Previous studies have limitations in terms of their ability to jointly learn shared and metal-specific contamination patterns. There is a gap in understanding the key environmental factors influencing contamination patterns and the relative importance of different factors.

  generalstated research gap
  Keywords: there need accurate spatially transferable approach assess soil
• Environmental Assessment of Cadmium in Paddy Soils and Rice Grains Adjacent to Limboto Lake: Bioaccumulation and Non-Carcinogenic Health Risks (2026) · Journal of Health and Nutrition Research · doi

  There is a need to assess cadmium concentrations in paddy soils and rice grains in agricultural areas surrounding Limboto Lake, Indonesia. The study aims to fill the knowledge gap on the potential health risks associated with rice consumption in the region.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there need assess cadmium concentrations paddy soils rice
• Chemical Dynamics of Heavy Metal Translocation and Phytoaccumulation Paradoxes in Highly Leached, Acidic Xanthic Ferralsols of Fendall, Liberia (2026) · bioRxiv · doi

  Heavy metal contamination in soil systems is an escalating global crisis, yet over 55% of urban agriculture literature focuses on high-tech indoor vertical farming, leaving vulnerable open-field tropical urban agriculture (UPA) severely under-researched.

  generalabstractevidence 5/5
  Keywords: urban agriculture heavy metal contamination soil systems escalating global crisis literature focuses high tech indoor
• Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers on trace element accumulation and greenhouse gas emissions in a rice-vegetable rotation system (2026) · Plant and Soil · doi

  Trace element contamination in farmlands is a critical challenge to environmental integrity and food security. The need for management strategies that reduce grain metal accumulation and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining yield. The complexity of fertilizer-soil-plant interactions.

  generalstated challengesevidence 5/5
  Keywords: trace element contamination farmlands critical challenge environmental integrity
• Analysis Of Heavy Metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) In Agricultural Soil Near Dolvi, Alibuag (2026) · International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management (IRJAEM) · doi

  Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil poses a risk to food security and human health. The proximity of rice fields to industrial areas contributes to heavy metal accumulation in the soil. The lack of data on heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil hinders the development of effective mitigation strategies.

  generalstated challengesevidence 5/5
  Keywords: heavy metal contamination agricultural soil poses risk food
• Exploring soil heavy metal(loid) levels in Huraymla, Saudi Arabia: implications for sustainable agriculture and food supply (2026) · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · cited 4× · doi

  There is a need to understand soil quality and potential exposure pathways in arid agricultural settings. The study area, Huraymla, Saudi Arabia, has not been previously studied for heavy metal contamination. There is a lack of comprehensive assessment of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils using GIS tools and multivariate statistical analyses.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there need understand soil quality potential exposure pathways
• Multisource attribution and transfer dynamics of PTEs in soil–rice systems in Southwestern China (2026) · Scientific Reports · doi

  Total https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165369 (2023). Environ. safety. 897, rice Sci. of 41. Ishimaru, Y., Bashir, K. & Nishizawa, N. K. Zn uptake and translocation in rice plants. Rice 4, 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12284-011-9061-3 (2011). 42. Xiang, M. et al. Heavy metal contamination risk assessment and correlation analysis of in soil and crops. Environ. Pollut. 278, 116911. heavy metal contents https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116911 (2021). 43. Li, F., Li, X., Hou, L. & Shao, A. Impact of coal mining on the spatial distribution of soil. Sci. Rep. 8, 14925. farmland tillage potentially https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-33132-4 (2018). toxic metals in 44. Xu, Y., Yu, W., Ma, Q. & Zhou, H. Accumulation of copper and zinc in soil and plant within ten-year application of different pig manure rates. Plant Soil Environ. 59 (11), 492–499. https://doi.org/10.17221/121/2013-PSE (2013). 45. Wang, P., Hu, Y. & Cheng, H. Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration fly ash as an important source of heavy metal pollution in China. Environ. Pollut. 252, 461–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.04.082 (2019). 46. Sabzevari, S. & Hofman, J. A worldwide review of currently used pesticides' monitoring 152344. agricultural in soils. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152344 (2022). Environ.

  generalfuture workevidence 5/5
  Keywords: https environ soil rice heavy metal scitotenv pollut envpol plant total safety ishimaru bashir nishizawa

Questions about this gap