From an environmental safety perspective, the accumulation of lead compounds in ecosystems, in both macroand nanoforms, poses a significant risk factor, particularly due to the unique properties of lead nanoparticles in phase formation and migration. The study employs advanced technological methods for synthesizing lead oxide (PbO) nanoparticles and their subsequent qualitative and quantitative analysis. Data analysis confirmed that the synthesized PbO nanoparticles have a mean diameter of 48.4 nm. In a model experiment, the impact of macroand nanoscale PbO particles on the processes of uptake and transformation in Haplic Chernozem soil, as well as on structural and functional alterations in the tissues and cells of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) throughout its growth cycle, was investigated. Newly formed crystalline mineral lead-containing compounds were identified in plant tissues: plumboferrite (Pb2(Fe3+, Mn2+, Mg)11O19), litharge (PbO), galena (PbS), and pyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl). The transformation of initial PbO compounds into aqua complexes of the type Pb2+(H2O)n was established, increasing the bioavailability of lead. It was found that the toxicity of introduced PbO forms, especially nanoparticles, significantly affects the state of intracellular structures (mitochondria, plastids, and inclusions) involved in photosynthesis and energy metabolism, leading to destructive changes that reduce metabolic processes related to barley growth and development. The study demonstrates the potential of combining synchrotron methods and other instrumental techniques for characterizing and analyzing the behavior of nanoparticles in biological systems and organo-mineral polydisperse structures, such as soil. These findings highlight the need for integrated approaches to mitigate nanoparticle-related environmental hazards in agroecosystems.

X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) and Mössbauer investigations have been carried out to obtain information on the local environment of Fe ions in Pb2FeSbO6 (PFS) samples with different degree of the Fe3+ and Sb5+ ordering. Analysis of Mössbauer spectra shows, that the fraction of doublet component in the spectrum of the disordered PFS sample is significantly larger, than that of the ordered one, however singlet component still persists, indicating the presence of the compositionally ordered regions. The Fe K-spectrum absorption for the ordered PFS sample exhibits the lowest pre-edge intensities, indicating that Fe position is close to the oxygen octahedron center. The higher amplitude of this peak for the disordered sample provides evidence for structural distortions, involving Fe displacement off the octahedra centers. Additional support to this conclusion provides the structure of absorption spectra, which gave substantially higher Debye-Waller factor of Fe–O shell for disordered sample as compared to the ordered one.

Chromium (Cr) is reported to be hazardous to environmental components and surrounding biota when levels exceed allowable thresholds. As Cr is extensively utilized in different industries, thereby comprehensively studied for its toxicity. Along with Cr, the applications of nano-Cr or chromium oxide nanoparticles (Cr2O3-NPs) are also expanding; however, the literature is scarce or limited on their phytotoxicity. Thereby, the current work investigated the morpho-physiological insights of macro- and nanoparticles of Cr in Hordeum vulgare L. plants. The increased accumulation and translocation of Cr under the exposure of both forms disturbed the cellular metabolism that might have inhibited germination and growth as well as interfered with the photosynthesis of plants. The overall extent of toxicity was noticeably higher under nanoparticles’ exposure than macroparticles of Cr. The potential cue for such phytotoxic consequences mediated by Cr nanoparticles could be an increased bioavailability of Cr ions which was also supported by their total content, mobility, and factor toxicity index. Besides, to support further these findings, synchrotron X-ray technique was used to reliably identify Cr-containing compounds in the plant tissues. The X-ray spectra of the near spectral region and the far region of the spectrum of K-edge of Cr were obtained, and it was established that the dominant crystalline phase corresponds to Cr2O3 (eskolaite) from the recorded observations. Thus, the obtained results would allow revealing the mechanism of macro- and nanoparticles of Cr induced impacts on plant at the tissue, cellular- and sub-cellular levels.

To evaluate the environmental concerns associated with heavy metals (HMs) during their translocations in food chains, it is crucial to gather data on the types of HMs present in soils in order to ascertain their toxicity and potential to migrate. An overview of the findings from several physical techniques used to determine and identify the HMs, sediments, individual minerals, and organic components in contaminated agricultural and industrial soils, is provided in this review article. These studies cover a variety of X-ray-based analytical techniques, including most widely used ones like X-ray absorption near edge structure, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, X-ray diffraction, and less popular ones X-ray fluorescence, etc. When compared to techniques that rely on laboratory radiation sources, synchrotron radiation offers more precision and efficiency. These methods could pinpoint the primary mechanisms influencing the soil's ability to transport contaminants and track their subsequent migration up the food chain.

Present study included technological methods that made it possible to synthesize CdO nanoparticles and carry out their qualitative and quantitative diagnostics, confirming the as-prepared CdO nanoparticles (NPs) were spherical and had a size of 25 nm. Then, under the conditions of the model experiment the effect of CdO in macro and nanosized particles on absorption, transformation, and structural and functional changes occurring in cells and tissues of Hordeum vulgare L. (spring barley) during its ontogenesis was analyzed. Different analytical techniques were used to detect the transformation of CdO forms: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDXMA and TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray absorption fine structure, consists of XANES - X-ray absorption near edge structure, and EXAFS - Extended X-ray absorption fine structure. Quantitative differences in the elemental chemical composition of barley root and leaf samples were observed. The predominant root uptake of Cd was revealed. CdO-NPs were found to penetrate deeply into barley plant tissues, where they accumulated and formed new mineral phases such as Cd5(PO4)3Cl and CdSO4 according to XRD analysis. The molecular-structural state of the local Cd environment in plant samples corresponding to Cd-O and Cd-Cd. The toxicity of CdO-NPs was found to significantly affect the morphology of intracellular structures are the main organelles of photosynthesis therefore, destructive changes in them obviously reduce the level of metabolic processes ensuring the growth of plants. This study is an attempt to show results how it is possible to combine some instrumental techniques to characterize and behavior of NPs in complex matrices of living organisms.

Ceramic samples of barium ferrostannate BaFe1/2Sn1/2O3-delta have been prepared by the sol-gel and hydrothermal synthesis methods. To reduce the number of oxygen vacancies, annealing in oxygen has been performed. The heat capacity, magnetization, Mossbauer and dielectric spectroscopy data point to the appearance of antifer-romagnetic ordering below similar to 55 K followed by further spin glass magnetic ordering below 15 K. The giant dielectric response seems to be due to the relaxation of electrons trapped by oxygen vacancies. Comparison of the Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of BaFe1/2Sn1/2O3-delta confirmed substantial difference from those of the similar stoichiometric BaFe1/2Nb1/2O3 perovskite.

In the current study, two plants, viz., Pisum sativum L. and Hordeum vulgare L., were exposed to nano- and macro-dispersed ZnO at 1, 10, and 30 times of maximal permissible concentration (MPC). The main objective of the study is to depict and compare the genotoxicity in terms of chromosomal anomalies, cytotoxicity ( i.e ., mitotic index), and phytotoxicity (viz., germination, morphometry, maximal quantum yield, and chlorophyll fluorescence imaging) of macro- and nano-forms of ZnO along with their accumulation and translocation. In the case of genotoxic and cytotoxic responses, the maximal effect was observed at 30 MPC, regardless of the macro- or nano-forms of ZnO. The phytotoxic observations revealed that the treatment with macro- and nano-forms of ZnO significantly affected the germination rate, germination energy, and length of roots and shoots of H. vulgare in a dose-dependent manner. The factor toxicity index of treated soil demonstrated that toxicity soared as concentrations increased and that at 30 MPC, toxicity was average and high in macro- and nano-dispersed ZnO, respectively. Furthermore, the photosynthetic parameters were observed to be negatively affected in both treatments, but the maximal effect was observed in the case of nano-dispersed form. It was noted that the mobility of nano-dispersed ZnO in the soil was higher than macro-dispersed. The increased mobility of nano-dispersed ZnO might have boosted their accumulation and translocation that subsequently led to the oxidative stress due to the accelerated production of reactive oxygen species, thus strengthen toxicity implications in plants.

It is necessary to apply modern approaches to prevent the spread/toxic effects of pollution caused by a changing climate; especially metal pollutants to the soil. Thus, the present investigation was aimed to examine chemical speciation of soil samples collected from the River floodplain and its effects on native plant species; Phragmites australis. Synchrotron radiation (SR) tools for Zn speciation in soil and scanning electron microscopy for anatomical changes in plants were applied. Speciation of Zn was a dominant pollutant in Technosols. Two local surroundings were observed for Zn corresponding to its coordination by O and by S, close to ZnS. Whereas, the mixed local surrounding was noted with Zn–S and Zn–O bonds. The analysis of X-ray absorption fine structure results revealed that Technosols contained 70 and 30% of Zn–S and Zn–O bonds, respectively. SR results could be summarized that the main contribution in Technosols was from the authigenic minerals of metals with S: würtzite (hexagonal ZnS), sphalerite (cubic ZnS), bornite (Cu5FeS4), and covellite (CuS). The investigation on growth and modifications in the ultrastructure of P. australis roots and stems showed changes in cellular tissues such as in epidermis and mesoderm, and in subcellular organelles: mitochondria, chloroplast, cell membrane, etc. It is established that the soil contamination with exceeded limits slows down the ontogenetic developments of P. australis. Our findings could provide insight into the physiochemical characteristics of polluted soil as well as information on the toxic effects of pollutants on plants based on non-destructive approaches.

Improper dumps are one of the most common indicators of accumulated harm and are a source of a wide range of pollutants entering the environment. The waste of packaging materials, household chemicals, agrochemicals, used industrial catalysts, ash from thermal waste disposal, and other contaminants have been identified as sources of their introduction into soils from dumps. The accelerated applications of nano-forms of metals are one of the emerging concerns. Like other contaminants, the soil is the main sink for nanoparticles (NPs). Undoubtedly, in the last decade, metal NPs have been recognized for their numerous roles in research and development but due to their increasing amount in the environment, these emerging issues cannot be ignored. Therefore, with this background, the current work was proposed, in which, Pisum sativum L. was exposed to nano-disperse (30-50 nm) and macro-disperse (3-5 μm) forms of metal oxide viz., Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, Cd, Ti, Ni, and Pb at the doses of 3, 30, and 90 background contamination (in mg/kg). After 3-4 days of exposure, the emerged roots were harvested, cleaned with distilled water, and fixed in Clark’s fluid (aceto-alcohol) for further analyses. For microscopic observations, slides were prepared using the squash technique. In this work, the mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations were recorded to depict the extent of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, respectively. The experimental outcomes revealed that the maximal genotoxicity was found in all soil samples at the level of 90 background contamination, regardless of the macro- or nano-state of the metals. Besides, the commonly observed chromosomal aberrations were bridges and fragments. Also, cell ruptures at the metaphase stage, forming a metaphase plate was found but rarely. Thus, the current observation depicted the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of different nano- and macro-disperse forms of metals, however further studies are needed to explore the responsible mechanisms for these toxicological vulnerabilities. This study was supported by Russian Science Foundation project no. 21-77-20089.

The transformation of technogenic Cu and Zn compounds in technogenically transformed soils (Spolic Technosols) with high and very high concentrations of metals formed at the site of a natural tailings pond in the floodplain of the Seversky Donets River, the main tributary of the Don River (Rostov oblast, Russia) has been studied. The Technosols are compared to an unpolluted meadow-chernozemic soil (Fluvisol) outside the impact zone. The state of Cu and Zn is assessed using three sequential extraction schemes-Miller's, Tessier's, and BCR, as well as synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and analysis of synchrotron X-ray absorption spectrometry (XAFS) spectra. It is shown that the distribution of metals in soil is largely related to their properties, such as electronegativity, hydrolyzability, and softness parameter. As is observed, Cu mainly concentrates in the residual fraction (to 42%) and in the fraction associated with organic matter (up to 27%). The mobility of Zn in the studied soils is higher than that of Cu. Its main part (up to 56%) is in the residual fraction and the fraction associated with Fe and Mn oxides (up to 48%), especially with Fe(III) crystalline compounds. The combination of a three-stage BCR scheme with XAFS and XRD techniques is used for the first time. Most of the peaks in diffraction patterns of soil samples after the first and second extraction stages correspond to the authigenic sulfur-containing minerals, namely, wurtzite (ZnS with a hexagonal structure), sphalerite (cubic ZnS), covellite (CuS), and bornite (Cu5FeS4). Wurtzite is present in the exchangeable and reducible fractions. These fractions also contain chalcocite (Cu2S). Sulfides are most abundant in soil sample after extraction of the oxidizable fraction, while phyllosilicates are prevalent in the sample after extraction of the reducible fraction. X-ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrates molecular structural changes in the Zn and Cu compounds in heavily polluted soils, suggesting the transformation of metals under different environmental conditions, which is important for assessment of the soil protective function.

An increase in the penetration of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment requires an assessment of their ecotoxicity as they impair the critical activity of plants, animals, bacteria, and enzymes. Therefore, the study aimed to observe the effects of metal-based NPs, including copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn), on the Cambisols, which cover a significant part of the earth’s soil and play an important role in the biosphere. Metal-based NPs were introduced into the soil at concentrations of 100, 1000, and 10,000 mg/kg. The biological properties of the soil are being investigated as the most sensitive to external contamination. The highest ecotoxicity of the studied pollutants introduced into the soil at the same concentrations was shown by Cu (up to 34%) and Zn (up to 30%) NPs, while Ni NPs showed less (up to 22%). Microbiological (total number of bacteria, Azotobacter sp. abundance) and phytotoxic properties (radish seed germination and length of roots) of Cambisols were more sensitive (22–53%) to pollution by NPs of Cu, Zn, and Ni, while enzymatic activity (catalase and dehydrogenases) showed less sensitivity (14–32%). The present results could be useful for biomonitoring the state of contaminated soils, especially by NPs.

Nanotechnology has gained popularity in recent years owing to its established potential for application and implementation in various sectors such as medical drugs, medicine, catalysis, energy, material, and plant science. Nanoparticles (NPs) are smaller in size (1–100 nm) with a larger surface area and have many fruitful applications. The extraordinary functions of NPs are utilized in sustainable agriculture due to nano-enabled products, e.g., nano-insecticides, nano-pesticides, and nano-fertilizers. Nanoparticles have lately been suggested as an alternate method for controlling plant pests such as insects, fungi, and weeds. Several NPs exhibit antimicrobial properties considered in food packaging processes; for example, Ag-NPs are commonly used for such purposes. Apart from their antimicrobial properties, NPs such as Si, Ag, Fe, Cu, Al, Zn, ZnO, TiO2, CeO2, Al2O3, and carbon nanotubes have also been demonstrated to have negative impacts on plant growth and development. This review examines the field-use of nano-enabled products in sustainable agriculture, future perspectives, and growing environmental concerns. The remarkable information on commercialized nano-enabled products used in the agriculture and allied sectors are also provided.

In recent years, the study of the influence of nanoparticles (NPs) on the environment has attracted much interest as nanotechnology is becoming the key technology of the future generation. The comparative studies on the effects of macro- and nanosized copper oxide (CuO) on plants rarely cover the state and behaviour of CuO in the soil–plant system. This work considers the transformation of CuO in Haplic Chernozem depending on the degree of dispersion and its toxic effects on spring barley (Hordeum sativum) growth. To investigate the transformation of the studied particles of metal oxide in the soil and plant, both chemical method of analysis and synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) and X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) were used. It was shown that CuO NPs underwent a stronger transformation due to the high reactivity of smaller particles. The Cu mobility was observed to increase within the soil profile as confirmed by the model pollution experiment. This is mainly due to the formation of complex forms of metal with organic matter. A dose of 300 mg/kg of macro- and nanosized CuO did not significantly affect the development and productivity of spring barley. The effect of high doses of macro- and nanosized CuO (2000 and 10,000 mg/kg) had a negative impact on the growth of spring barley. The application of nanosized CuO had a greater toxic effect than the macrosized CuO on the plants. The XANES and EXAFS data revealed that CuO NPs accumulated in the soil and plants. The linear combination fit shown that Cu atoms, incorporated into the plants, have environment typical of CuO. This indicates a high environmental risk when soil is contaminated with CuO NPs compared with its arrival as CuO.

Study of Zn and Cu accumulation and transformation in highly contaminated technogenically transformed soils near the sediment pond of a chemical plant using a combination of direct nondestructive physical methods, including X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) based on synchrotron radiation. The object of the study was technogenic soils (Technosol) subjected to long-term anthropogenic load. The object of research was a territory of sludge collectors region of the Atamanskoe Lake natural basin, the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinskii, Southern Russia. The contents of Zn and Cu were determined by the X-ray fluorescence method. The EXAFS and XANES experimental data were obtained at the Structural Material Science Station at the 1.3b beamline of the Kurchatov Center of Synchrotron Radiation ''Kurchatov Institute''. Soil samples were analysed with the sequential extraction procedure recommended by BCR. This procedure can be described as follows: first step (exchangeable fraction), second step (reducible fraction) and third step (oxidisable fraction). The studied Technosols are characterized by exceeding of the lithosphere clark for Zn in hundreds of times (26 000-66 000 mg/kg) and for Cu in tens of times (376-577 mg/kg). It has been found that in the oxidisable fraction of Zn is coordinated by four O atoms and only two Zn atoms. The Zn-Zn distance is 3.36 Å, and there are two different short Zn-O bonds (1.95 and 2.04 Å). In the reducible and exchangeable fractions, the main peaks of the EXAFS Fourier transform are shifted to the region of large values, which indicates the possible presence of Zn-S bonds of 2.34 Å. The simulation results have shown a high content of ZnS in the reducible fraction; ZnS with an admixture of ZnSO4 and ZnO dominates in the exchangeable fraction. The oxidisable fraction is characterized by a high content of ZnSO4 with the addition of ZnO. The significant difference in the position of the absorption edge and the values of the main features of the spectrum with Cu–S and Cu–O bonds has made it possible to reliably diagnose these types of Cu environments in Technosol. Peaks of the EXAFS Fourier transforms of Cu spectra indicate the predominance of Cu–O bonds in the oxidisable fraction and Cu–S bonds in the reducible and exchangeable fractions. The results of fitting Cu spectra by a linear combination indicate that the spectra of the reducible fraction coincide with high accuracy with the spectra of Cu2S. In the exchangeable fraction, the content of Cu2S is also high, although there are CuSO4 impurities. The oxidisable fraction is characterized by a high content of CuCO3 and the presence of Cu2S and CuSO4 as impurities as trace amounts. Thus, sequential chemical selective fractionation and subsequent X-ray spectral diagnostics based on synchrotron radiation and molecular calculations have made it possible to identify and evaluate the Zn and Cu phases in Technosol. The reported study was funded by RFBR, projects no. 19-34-60041 and 19-05-50097.

Modeling metal sorption in soils is of great importance to predict the fate of heavy metals and to assess the actual risk driven from pollution. The present study focuses on adsorption of HM ions on two types of hydromorphic soils, including calcaric fluvisols loamic and calcaric fluvic arenosols. The individual and competitive adsorption behaviors of Cu and Zn on soils and soil constituents are evaluated comprehensively. It is established that the sorption processes were best described with the Langmuir model. The results suggest that the calcaric fluvic arenosols are more vulnerable to heavy metal input compared to fluvisols loamic. In all cases, Cu had a higher range of values of the adsorption process parameters relative to Zn. The Zn is likely to be the most critical environmental factor in such soils since it exhibited a decreased sorption under competitive conditions. The retention mechanisms of HM in hydromorphic soils are considered. Based on theoretical calculations of ion activity in soil solutions using solubility diagrams of Cu and Zn compounds, the possibility of precipitation of Cu hydroxide and Zn carbonate in the studied soils is shown. Direct physical methods of nondestructive testing (XAFS and XRD) are applied to experimentally prove the formation of these HM compounds on the surface of montmorillonite, the dominant mineral in hydromorphic soils, and calcite. Thus, the combination of both physicochemical methods and direct physical methods can provide a large amount of real information about the mechanisms of HM retain with solid phases.

Metal speciation, linked directly to bioaccessibility and lability, is a key to be considered when assessing associated human and environmental health risks originated from anthropogenic activities. To identify the Zn and Cu speciation in the highly contaminated, technogenically transformed soils (Technosol) from the impact zone near the industrial sludge reservoirs of chemical plant (Siverskyi Donets River floodplain, southern Russia), the validity of the BCR sequential extraction procedure using the X-ray absorption fine-structure and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses was examined after each of the three stages. After the removal of exchange and carbonate-bonded Zn and Cu compounds from Technosol (first stage of extraction), the resulting residual soil showed enrichment in a great diversity of metal compounds, primarily with Me–S and Me–O bonds. The number of compounds with a higher solubility decreased at the subsequent stages of extraction. In the residual soil left over after extracting the first and second fractions, the dominant Zn–S bond appeared as würtzite (hexagonal ZnS) that made up more than 50%, while the Cu–S bond was almost completely represented only by chalcocite (Cu 2 S). The XRD analysis revealed the authigenic minerals of metals with S: sphalerite (cubic ZnS), würtzite (hexagonal ZnS), covellite (CuS) and bornite (Cu 5 FeS 4 ). The scanning electron microscopy data confirmed that würtzite was the dominant form of Me with sulfur-containing and carbonate-containing minerals. The Zn–S bond was the main component (57%), whereas the Cu–O bond was dominant in the residual fraction (the fraction after the third-stage extraction). The results revealed that the composition of the residual fractions might include some of the most stable and hard-to-recover metal compounds of technogenic origin. Thus, the application of the novel instrumental methods, coupled with the chemical fractionation, revealed the incomplete selectivity of the extractants in the extraction of Zn and Cu in long-term highly contaminated soils.

Human activity, such as mining, is often detrimental to the environment. For risk assessment of polluted soils, it is crucial to establish the speciation of the contaminants such as zinc. The aim of the work was to identify the Zn species in contaminated anthropogenically transformed soils known as ‘spolic technosols’. The Zn speciation in technosols was studied using a combined fractionation scheme and a set of X-ray synchrotron methods. Spolic technosols within the Karabashmed Company zone of the southern Urals have a very high level of Zn contamination. The role of soil components in metal fixation in both the loosely and firmly bound states were revealed. Iron oxides actively participate in the immobilization of Zn. The studу of the local structure of technosols by X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that Zn is coordinated to six oxygen atoms forming a distorted octahedron with Zn–O bond lengths close to those in ZnSO 4 . The presence of short bonds, formed by Zn atoms, has been also revealed. Thus, the application of two independent methods can be helpful in defining Zn speciation in polluted soils.

The bioavailability of heavy metals in the soil is a function of their speciation. The speciation of Zn in Technosols of anthropogenic anomalies in Southern Urals and Southern Russia was studied using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods based on synchrotron radiation. The studied Technosols are characterized by exceedings of the lithosphere clark for Zn in hundreds of times. Hypergenic changes in the mineral composition of Technosols revealed different types of Zn surrounding. In the Southern Ural soils, six oxygen atoms forming a deformed octahedron coordinate Zn. For contaminated Technosols of Southern Russia, the longs of the Zn–O bonds were determined, which are close to the bonds in ZnSO4, and the mixed version of local surrounding with Zn–S and Zn–O bonds. Studies of metal speciation are of extreme importance for revealing the main mechanisms responsible for the mobility of trace elements such as Zn and understanding its consequences in terms of long-term potential emission by the Technosols.

Soil phases that are likely to scavenge ‘free’ metals include amorphous Mn and Fe oxides, organic matter, and clays. This paper reviews free forms of Cu and the methods in current use to quantify them. The information value of sequential extraction for assessing the speciation of Cu2+ in artificially contaminated Haplic Chernozem (up to 2000 Cu mg/kg) was shown in the selective removal of the main solid-phase components from the soil. It was revealed that carbonates, Fe (hydr)oxides, organic matter, and layered silicates affect the uptake of Cu by the soil. The speciation of Cu in the soil was studied by the Tessier sequential extraction method. To assess the selectivity of the extractants used and to estimate the role of different soil components in Сu partitioning, carbonates, Fe-Mn sesquioxides, and organic matter were removed from soil samples prior to the application of each sequential extraction scheme. No metal was revealed in the fraction bound to the removed soil component, which indicated the selectivity of the used extractants with respect to the soil components. It was found that, in the absence of a soil component, the role of other components in the retention of metal ions increases. When organic matter was removed from the soil, nonsilicate Fe compounds become the most active components in metal sorption, and the role of organic matter in metal retention increases in the absence of Fe oxides. Upon the removal of carbonates, the accumulation of metal in the exchangeable form increases significantly. Mechanisms controlling the fixation of metal by soil solid-phase components on the molecular level were determined using synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. It was found that the surface structure and the composition of functional groups of the adsorbent have the leading importance in metal sorption. The combined use of chemical and physical analytical techniques fully characterizes the interaction of Cu with soil solid-phase components, which reduces its availability to adjacent environments and mitigates environmental risks.