Synchrotron X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy in Soil Improvement and Remediation: A Review and Perspective.

Cheng Chen, Limin Zhou, Xingya Wang, Airong Liu, Lijuan Zhang, Jun Hu

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Cheng ChenInstitute of Materiobiology, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.

Limin ZhouShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9372-8388

Xingya WangShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.

Airong LiuState Key Laboratory for Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.

Lijuan ZhangShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.

Jun HuInstitute of Materiobiology, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFA1603702National Natural Science Foundation of China Nos. 12274427, 12104469, 12575356, 22393934Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai No.25ZR1402529Science and Technology Department of Qinghai Province Nos. 2025ZY001

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Soil contamination by heavy metals and organic pollutants presents significant challenges to the global environment and public health. However, a lack of micro-scale understanding of the pollution process hinders efforts to remediate and enhance soil quality. Synchrotron-based X-ray imaging and spectroscopy techniques are powerful tools in revealing complex interactions within heterogeneous soil systems. This review systematically explores recent advances in soil research that deepen our knowledge on the chemical states, spatial distribution, and dynamic interactions of heavy metals and organic contaminants via synchrotron-based techniques (e.g., micro-XRF imaging, FTIR, SR-μCT). It highlights the potential of these methods to characterize composition, aggregate structure, and microbial activity within soil matrices with high spatial and temporal resolution, in situ, and with element-specific analysis. Additionally, a forward-looking perspective outlines key research directions to leverage these advantages and develop more effective and sustainable soil restoration strategies. We hope this work emphasizes the role of synchrotron science in field-scale soil applications and inspires future, mechanism-driven, evidence-based soil remediation efforts.

Indexed as

aggregatesheavy metal contaminationmicroorganismssoilsynchrotron radiation

Identifiers

PMID42042708

DOI10.3390/nano16080456

PMCPMC13118366

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.