Urban soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a recognized health concern in densely populated urban environments. Through a systematic meta-analysis of 91 peer-reviewed studies (2000–2025) reporting 12,174 sampling sites in capital and core cities, we characterized regional patterns in the spatiotemporal dynamics and health risks of eight PTEs across two well-represented continental subsets (Asia, k = 18–36 per element; Europe, k = 11–23 per element) with comparative reference to the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Given the uneven geographic distribution of qualifying primary studies, continental comparisons should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating: Asia (k = 18–36 per element) and Europe (k = 11–23 per element) provide the statistically robust core of the synthesis, while results for the Americas (k = 3–7 for several elements), Africa (k = 4–15), and Oceania (k = 2) are presented as illustrative rather than statistically representative. Pooled concentrations followed Zn (138.59) > Pb (56.97) > Cr (54.26) > Cu (47.00) > Ni (31.94) > As (8.56) > Hg (3.13) > Cd (1.23) mg·kg⁻¹. Within the well-represented Asian and European subsets, Asian cities showed the most severe enrichment of As, Cd, Cr, and Hg (I_geo > 4 in hotspots such as Kathmandu I_geo (Cd) = 7.06 and Jinan I_geo (Hg) = 5.27), whereas European centres exhibited substantial legacy Pb accumulation (pooled mean 87.69 mg·kg⁻¹). A reproducible pollution gradient was identified across functional zones: industrial > transportation ≥ residential > commercial > agricultural > urban green areas. The deterministic non-carcinogenic Hazard Index (HI = 1.49) for children in Asia exceeded the safe threshold (HI > 1), driven primarily by As and Cr exposure via incidental soil-and-dust ingestion. Monte Carlo probabilistic assessment (N = 10,000) confirmed elevated cumulative non-carcinogenic risk at the median of the exposure distribution for children in the data-rich Asian (P50 = 1.55; P(HI > 1) = 81.9%) and European (P50 = 1.28; P(HI > 1) = 69.8%) subsets, with adults in both subsets remaining well below the safety threshold (P(HI > 1) = 0.0%). Temporal analysis revealed a decoupling between economic growth and PTE accumulation in long-established cities, together with an inverse Ni–population correlation indicative of strategic resource allocation. For Asian capital and core cities, where the evidence base is strongest (k = 18–36 per element), the present synthesis supports further investigation of risk-based, child-centric soil management as a public-health priority. For European cities (k = 11–23 per element), the same direction of risk is indicated but should be confirmed in regionally focused syntheses. Policy considerations for under-represented regions should await expansion of the primary monitoring base.

Background: Rare earth elements (REEs) are present in agricultural ecosystems, but their baseline soil–plant transfer dynamics require systematic understanding. This study investigated the ‘source-to-sink’ biogeochemical distribution of REEs in soybean under background soil conditions. Methods: We characterized REE concentrations and fractionation patterns in the composite surface soil samples and analyzed two soybean cultivars (‘Jiyu 201’ (JY) and ‘Ping’an 16’ (PA)). A seven-stage sampling scheme (20–80 days post-sowing) using whole-plant samples was employed to evaluate temporal concentration dynamics, followed by discrete organ-level analysis at maturity. Results: The composite surface soil samples exhibited a light REE (LREE)-enriched signature with negative cerium (Ce) and europium (Eu) anomalies. While plants consistently mirrored the soil’s negative Eu anomaly, an observable shift toward a positive Ce anomaly was detected in plant tissues during the 45–65 days post-sowing window. REE concentrations were markedly higher in roots than in aerial tissues, indicating strong root-associated retention and limited acropetal translocation; however, the root values include both internalized and surface-associated fractions. Acropetal transport was accompanied by preferential LREE enrichment. Final organ-level partitioning was highly genotype-dependent: the indeterminate cultivar PA accumulated higher REEs in beans, whereas the sub-determinate cultivar JY retained them primarily in vegetative stems. Conclusions: Under background soil conditions, REE uptake and partitioning in soybean exhibit dynamic and genotype-dependent patterns. The observed shift in the Ce anomaly presents a notable biogeochemical phenomenon. Establishing these baseline dynamics is vital for evaluating crop elemental homeostasis and utilizing REEs as biogeochemical tracers.