Heavy Metals as Toxic Substances

Abstract

Heavy metal toxicity has proven to be a major threat and there are several health risks associated with it. The toxic effects of these metals, even though they do not have any biological role, remain present in some or the other form harmful
for the human body and its proper functioning. They sometimes act as a pseudo element of the body while at certain
times they may even interfere with metabolic processes. Few metals, such as aluminium, can be removed through elimination activities, while some metals get accumulated in the body and food chain, exhibiting a chronic nature. Various
public health measures have been undertaken to control, prevent and treat metal toxicity occurring at various levels, such
as occupational exposure, accidents and environmental factors. Metal toxicity depends upon the absorbed dose, the route
of exposure and duration of exposure, i.e. acute or chronic. This can lead to various disorders and can also result in excessive damage due to oxidative stress induced by free radical formation. This review gives details about some heavy
metals and their toxicity mechanisms, along with their health effects.