Abstract

Soil contamination by heavy metals, microplastics (MPs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability, and human health. The coexistence of these contaminants in agricultural soils creates complex remediation challenges because of their distinct physicochemical properties, environmental behavior, and persistence. This review has examined recent advances in remediation technologies for agricultural soils co-contaminated with heavy metals, MPs, and PAHs, covering physical, chemical, biological and integrated remediation approaches. Particular attention is given to emerging technologies, including nanomaterial-assisted remediation, electrokinetic systems, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)-assisted remediation, biochar-supported microbial processes, and CRISPR-engineered microorganisms. Unlike previous reviews that primarily focused on individual contaminant classes or stand-alone remediation technologies, this review provides a comparative framework for evaluating remediation performance and a mechanistic framework linking contaminant characteristics, soil interactions, and remediation strategy selection. The analysis highlights the growing potential of integrated treatment-train approaches for managing multi-contaminant soils while identifying key challenges related to scalability, environmental safety, economic feasibility, and field implementation. Overall, the review provides insights into current research trends and future directions for developing sustainable and effective remediation strategies for co-contaminated agricultural soils.