Summary
This 2019 critical review examined mercury behaviour in soil-plant systems, synthesising evidence on how different mercury chemical forms affect bioavailability, uptake by crops and toxicity to plants and humans. The authors assessed both ecotoxicological impacts and dietary health risks, as suggested by the title's explicit framing of risk assessment. The review likely synthesised mechanistic data on mercury speciation and proposed detoxification strategies relevant to contaminated agricultural soils.
UK applicability
Mercury contamination of agricultural soils in the United Kingdom is not widespread compared to some global regions, but legacy industrial and mining sites present localised risks. The mechanistic insights on soil-plant mercury transfer and detoxification approaches may inform UK soil remediation guidance and food safety monitoring in affected areas.
Key measures
Mercury speciation forms, soil bioavailability indices, plant uptake rates, toxicity thresholds, detoxification mechanisms and health risk characterisation
Outcomes reported
This critical review synthesised evidence on mercury speciation, bioavailability, toxicity mechanisms and detoxification pathways in soil-plant environments. The paper assessed ecotoxicological effects and human health risks arising from soil-mercury exposure through agricultural pathways.
Topic tags
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