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Published on: December 6, 2021
Heavy metal distribution and speciation in hyperaccumulators for single-atom catalyst synthesis: a review
Hai Lin1, Zhangzhang Huang2, Guoguan Liu2
1School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; State Key Laboratory of Iron and Steel Industry Environmental Protection, Beijing 102600, China.
Bioresource Technology
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Hyperaccumulators offer a sustainable route to single-atom catalysts (SACs). Understanding heavy metal (HM) behavior in plants is key to optimizing SAC properties for environmental catalysis.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Catalysis
- Materials Science
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Hyperaccumulators efficiently absorb heavy metals (HMs), presenting opportunities for phytoremediation.
- Utilizing HM-rich biomass for single-atom catalysts (SACs) faces challenges in understanding plant-metal interactions.
- A comprehensive summary linking HM migration, speciation in plants, and SAC properties is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the design, preparation, and application of hyperaccumulator-derived SACs for environmental catalysis.
- To elucidate the relationship between HM speciation/distribution in plants and SAC structural properties.
- To discuss future prospects for resource utilization of hyperaccumulators and green SAC synthesis.
Main Methods:
- Summarize biochemical mechanisms of HM uptake and transport in hyperaccumulators.
- Analyze HM distribution patterns, speciation, and coordination environments at the subcellular level.
- Examine case studies linking HM speciation to defect/active site formation and pore structure evolution during pyrolysis.
Main Results:
- HM speciation and spatial distribution within hyperaccumulators critically regulate defect and active site formation in SACs.
- Pyrolysis conditions influence pore structure evolution based on the initial HM speciation and distribution.
- Hyperaccumulator-derived SACs show promise in environmental catalysis applications.
Conclusions:
- A deep understanding of HM biochemical pathways in hyperaccumulators is crucial for tailoring SAC properties.
- Hyperaccumulators provide a green and sustainable precursor for high-performance SACs.
- Further research can unlock the full potential of hyperaccumulator-derived SACs for resource utilization and environmental remediation.
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