Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine

Mathematical modelling of soil phytoremediation efficiency from Pb, Cu and Ni

Oleksandra Sydorenko, Nataliia Golub
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Abstract

The study aimed at a quantitative comparative assessment of lead, copper, and nickel removal dynamics from soil by the “metal-plant” system based on mathematical modelling to predict the cleaning timelines of contaminated areas. Soil contamination with heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Ni) due to intensive anthropogenic activities and large-scale military operations in Ukraine posed a critical threat to environmental safety and public health. Phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants, such as Brassica juncea, was considered a promising and environmentally friendly method for ecosystem restoration. However, the planning of such measures was complicated by the varying rates of element removal and their toxic effects on biomass, which necessitated the development of accurate predictive models. An exponential model of metal uptake kinetics was used to predict the cleaning timelines of contaminated areas. It was established that the soil cleaning efficiency for one vegetative period (180 days) was 92.9% for copper, 80.6% for nickel, and only 53.5% for lead. The findings revealed that the high remediation efficiency of copper was due to its high mobility and low phytotoxicity. Conversely, lead exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, significantly limiting its extraction rate. Based on the multi-metal model, an additive toxic effect of pollutant mixtures was demonstrated, leading to a 78% reduction in the overall productivity of phytoremediators compared to monometallic contamination. The obtained results allowed for the optimisation of restoration strategies for anthropogenically stressed territories and lands affected by military conflicts. The developed model can be used to assess the economic feasibility of phytoremediation measures

Keywords

heavy metals; phytoextraction; toxic stress; multi-metal model; soil recovery; environmental safety

Suggested citation
Sydorenko, O., & Golub, N. (2026). Mathematical modelling of soil phytoremediation efficiency from Pb, Cu and Ni. Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 22(2),150-166. https://doi.org/10.31548/dopovidi/2.2026.150
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