Cadmium Contamination in Soils and Plants Mechanisms and Mitigation

Fang-Jie Zhao is a professor at Nanjing Agricultural University, China. He obtained his PhD from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K. in 1992. His research focuses on the biogeochemistry of trace elements, molecular mechanisms of trace element uptake and detoxification in plants, bioremediation of contaminated soils, and biofortification of micronutrients in food crops. He has published over 450 peer-reviewed articles and is a Clarivate Web of Science highly cited researcher since 2017. He is the recipient of the 2024 UNESCO The World Academy of Sciences Award in Agricultural Science and the 2022 IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award by the International Fertilizer Association.

Peng Wang is a professor at Nanjing Agricultural University, China. He obtained his PhD from the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. He researches soil biogeochemistry, environmental remediation, and human health, specializing in cadmium and arsenic risk control within soil–crop–human systems. His discoveries of mechanisms like the voltaic cell effect and pH-dependent adsorption governing cadmium activity have advanced practical remediation. He has developed novel high-throughput characterization techniques for soil–plant systems. He has published over 160 articles in journals such as PNAS, Nature Health, and ES&T, with over 11,000 citations and an h-index of 58. He is a Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate and Elsevier) and serves as a Section Editor for Plant and Soil (Springer Nature) and an Associate Editor for Applied Geochemistry (Elsevier).

Steve McGrath of Rothamsted Research obtained his PhD from the University of Sheffield, U.K. in 1980. His research focuses on understanding the biogeochemical processes that occur in soils and their impacts on crop productivity, food quality, and the environment. He has contributed significantly to the development of sustainable soil management practices and the development of guidelines for soil protection and to reduce the potential risks associated with heavy metal contamination in the food chain. He has published over 375 peer-reviewed articles and is a Clarivate Web of Science highly cited researcher since 2000. His research has been recognized with numerous awards, including election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2024 and as President of the International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry in 2013.