Rapid economic development has led to an alarming increase in soil pollution by potentially toxic elements (PTEs), significantly reducing soil productivity and posing long-term threats to sustainable agriculture and human well-being. Over the past two decades, it has been observed that soil PTEs pollution has severely impacted biodiversity, with damage rates of 94.7 % in plants, 77.4 % in humans, and 68.4 % in animals. In response, various remediation technologies have been developed, considering factors such as practical applicability, treatment duration, and ecological safety. Microbial remediation has shown a PTEs removal efficiency ranging from 32.0 % to 95.2 %, while multi-technology combined remediation approaches have demonstrated broader efficacy, with removal rates ranging from 18.7 % to 381 %. However, the selection of a suitable remediation technology must also consider the cost to ensure efficient contaminant removal. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the local and international status, sources, and hazards associated with PTEs, as well as the environmental factors influencing their migration. It also examines the detoxification mechanisms of plants and microbial remediation and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of physical, chemical, biological, and combined remediation methods. Furthermore, it underscores the requirements and opportunities for developing effective PTEs removal techniques. The insights presented here are crucial for agronomists in developing soil remediation strategies and for interdisciplinary research into integrated emission sources and pathogenesis, thereby enhancing efforts to safeguard the Earth's ecological environment.

Little was known about the leaching behavior of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from soils under the interaction between freeze-thaw (F-T) cycle and the solutions of varying pH values. In this study, PTEs leachability from soils before and after F-T tests was evaluated using toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP) test. The microstructure and mineralogical evolution of soil mineral particles were conducted using pores (particles) and cracks analysis system (PCAS) and PHREEQC. The results indicated that during 30 F-T cycles, the maximum leaching concentrations of PTEs were 0.22 mg/L for As, 0.61 mg/L for Cd, 2.46 mg/L for Cu, 3.08 mg/L for Mn, 29.36 mg/L for Pb and 8.07 mg/L for Zn, respectively. Under the coupled effects of F-T cycle and acidification, the porosity of soil particles increased by 4.79%, as confirmed by the microstructure damage caused by the evolution of pores and cracks. The anisotropy of soil particles increased under F-T effects, whereas that decreased under the coupled effects of F-T cycle and acidification. The results from SEM-EDS, PCAS quantification and PHREEQC modeling indicated that the release mechanism of PTEs was not only associated with the microstructure change in mineral particles, but also affected by protonation, as well as the dissolution and precipitation of minerals. Overall, these results would provide an important reference for soil remediation assessments in seasonal frozen areas.