Advanced Techniques for the Chemical Imaging of Metals in Environmental Sciences

The occurrence of contamination of surface environments (sediments, soils, water, and the atmosphere) by metals and metalloids has dramatically increased since the industrial era. Some of these elements are essential for living systems (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, ...) but can become toxic at high concentrations. Others do not support any biological functions and are toxic even in low concentrations (Ag, As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, …) resulting in environmental and human health concerns. The distribution and chemical speciation of metals in various environmental compartments affect their chemical fate, bioavailability, and toxicity. As a result of metal exposure microorganisms - and more generally biological species - have developed specific resistance mechanisms (e.g., efflux systems, metallothionein expression, sequestration, excretion…) to cope with metal toxicity. In all these environmental systems, one needs to map elemental associations and define the chemical form of metals to better characterize their roles and effects.

The goal of this Research Topic is to present some environmental applications related to metals/metalloids of chemical mapping and recent advances in imaging techniques that allowed us to decipher important processes, e.g., sequestration, uptake, (bio)mineralization, and reactivity. Studies that provide spatial information and inform also about chemical speciation at microscopic scales can be addressed using a wide variety of imaging techniques, that may still be poorly applied in environmental studies. The objective of this collection is to provide researchers with state-of-the-art studies and analytical developments that would extend their toolbox for probing how metals and metalloids affect environmental processes.

Contributions that highlight studies of metals and metalloids in environmental systems using chemical mapping techniques, as well as advances in imaging at the micro and nano are welcomed. Themes of relevance to this collection include (but not limited to):
• Study of metals/metalloids in natural ecosystems, laboratory microcosms/model systems.
• Recent advances in terms of spatial resolution (nano-imaging), sensitivity, sample preparation including cryogenic and ‘in-vivo’ approaches
• Cellular uptake mechanisms and bioaccumulation
• Advances in micro and nano-imaging techniques
• Multi-modal approaches and a combination of imaging techniques.
• Sample preparation and handling.
• Advances in data and image analysis

Desired submissions include original research papers, perspectives, and mini-reviews.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: imaging techniques, microscopy, microanalysis, spectro-microscopy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.