Gobinda DeyJyoti Prakash MaityPritam BanerjeeRaju Kumar SharmaKoyeli DasGopalakrishnan GnanachandrasamyChin-Wen WangPin-Yun LinSHAN-LI WANGChien-Yen Chen2024-11-012024-11-012024-12https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85205792862?origin=resultslistMangroves, essential coastal ecosystems, are threatened by human-induced Potentially-toxic-elements (PTEs) pollution. This study analyzed PTEs distribution, phytoremediation potential, and rhizosphere microbial communities in Taiwan's Xinfeng mangrove forest. Significant variations in physicochemical and PTEs concentrations were observed across adjacent water bodies, with moderate contamination in the river, estuary, and overlying water of mangroves sediment. The partition-coefficient showed the mobility of Bi, Pb, Co, and Sr at the water-sediment interface. The geochemical-indices revealed high Bi and Pb contamination and moderate Zn, Sr, Cu, and Cd contamination in sediment. The overall pollution indices indicated the significant contamination, while moderate ecological risk was found for Cd (40 ≤ Eri < 80). Mangroves Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina exhibited promising PTEs phytoremediation potential (Bi, Cd, Mn, Sr, and Co). Metagenomics indicated a diverse microbial community with N-fixation, P-solubilization, IAA synthesis, and PTEs-resistance genes. These findings underscore the need for targeted conservation to protect these critical habitats.Ecological risk assessmentMangrove ecosystemsPhytoremediationPlant growth promoting microbesPotentially toxic elementsRhizospheric microbial community[SDGs]SDG3[SDGs]SDG6[SDGs]SDG14[SDGs]SDG15journal article10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.1170352-s2.0-85205792862