Toxicity of heavy metals

how heavy metals are toxic to all living and non living beings , what are their sources and how we can overcome on such heavy metals .

1. TOXICITY OF HEAVY METALS .

2. WHAT ARE HEAVY METALS? METALS ORIGINALLY INCLUDED GOLD , SILVER ,IRON, LEAD ,COPPER & TIN . THOSE WHICH ARE MALLEABLE , LUSTROUS , DENSE , CONDUCT HEAT & ELECTRICITY ARE METALS . DUE TO ABOVE PROPERTIES SOME OTHER ELEMENTS ALSO ADDED TO THIS LIST. METALLOIDS ARE ELEMENTS HAVING CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN METALS & NON METALS ,EG:ARSENIC. METALS HAVING SPECIFIC GRAVITY 5 TIMES THAN WATER ARE HEAVY METALS ALSO METALS HAVING ATOMIC NUMBER MORE THAN “Na” & DENSITY MORE THAN 5 g/cm3.

3. HEAVY METALS ARE THOSE WHICH GOES ACROSS THE BIOLOGICAL MEMBRANES THAN PRODUCES TOXIC EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISMS. HEAVY METALS ARE EASILY SOLUBLE IN WATER DUE TO WHICH THEY EASILY CAUSE HARM THROUGH WATER.

4. MECHANISM OF TOXICITY OF HEAVY METALS: THE METAL ION TOXICITY IS GENERATED IN MANY POSSIBLE WAYS: ELECTROLYTIC IMBALANCE: THERE IS TRANSPORT OF CATIONS LIKE “Mg”,”K”,Etc ACROSS THE BIOLOGICAL MEMBRANES FOR BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES BUT IF THIS AMOUT IS DISTURBED THEN TOXICITY ARISES DUE TO IMBALANCE OF IONS . OXIDIZING ACTIVITY :OXIDIZING ACTION MAY GENERATE FREE RADICALS WHICH ARE TOXIC. EG:CHROMIUM(VI) .

5. INTEFERENCE THROUGH COMPETITIVE INHIBITION : HEAVY METALS IONS MAY REPLACE THE NATIVE METAL IONS FRO METALLOENZYMES .LIKE EXCESSIVE Cd2+ MAY REPLACE Ca2+ IN BONES MAKES THE BONE FRAGILE. INTEFERENCE WITH THE PROTEIN & ENZYMATIC PROCESSES : ENZYMES ARE NOTHING BUT PROTEINS WHICH MADE UP OF PROTEINS . HEAVY METAL IONS ACT AS ENZYME INHIBITORS .THEY STRONGLY BIND WITH SULPHUR CONTAINING AMINO ACIDS GROUPS IN AMINO ACIDS LIKE METHIONINE

6. SOME HEAVY METALS ARE AS FOLLOWS :

7. LEAD TOXICITY(Pb)

8. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS : LEAD IS NATURALLY OCCURING BLUISH-GRAY METAL FOUND IN SMALL AMOUNTS IN THE EARTH’S CRUST . IT HAS NO SPECIAL TASTE OR SMELL . IT CAN BE FOUND IN ALL PARTS OF ENVIRONMENT . IT CAME FROM HUMAN ACTIVITIES LIKE MINING ,MANUFACTURING & BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS.

9. SOURCES OF LEAD: HOUSE PAINT MADE FROM LEAD . POTTERY GLAZE & CERAMICS MATERIALS MADE FROM LEAD . PIPES , BULLETS ,TOYS , PAINT SETS, ART SUPPLIERS. X-ray SHIELDS ,CAR BATTERIES , ANTIQUES ,CABLE COVERINGS . ALSO IN PVC PLASTICS & PESTICIDES ,PENCIL .

10. IN MOSTLY LIPSTICKS LEAD CONTENT IS MORE…

11. TOXIC EFFECT DUE TO LEAD EXPOSURE: ABDOMINAL CRAMPS AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR CONSTIPATION SLEEP PROBLEMS HEADACHE IRRITABILITY LOSS OF DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS IN CHILDREN LOW IQ PROBLEM WITH HEARING

12. PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LEAD: LEAD DUST, FUMES, VAPOURS ARE EASILY ABSORBED BY THE RESPIRATORY TRACT. ONCE IT ABSORBED IT DISTRIBUTED TO THE LIVER & KIDNEYS ,& THEN IT IS STORED IN THE BONES . IT AFFECTS THE BONES . LEAD AFFECTS RBC’S RESULTING IN ANAEMIA DUE TO DEFICIENCY OF HAEMOGLOBIN . HIGH LEAD DEPOSITION IN BLOOD CAUSES DAMAGE TO ORGANS LIKE LIVER, KIDNEY & MALE GONADS(REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS). IT CAN CAUSE ABORTION . THERE ARE ALSO NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS SEEN DUE TO LEAD.

13. DIAGNOSIS : SERUM IRON LEVEL,FERRITIN. EVALUATION OF CLINICAL SIGN & SYMPTOMS. ABDOMINAL RADIOGRAPHS(FOR RECENT LEAD INGESTION) . WHOLE BLOOD LEAD LEVEL. X-RAY FLOURESCENCE TO ASSES BODY BURDEN .

14. TREATMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION OF HAZARDS. NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT. CHELATING THERAPY(CHELATING AGENTS LIKE “EDTA”, WHICH STRONGLY BINDS WITH LEAD IONS & Pb2+ IONS DISPLACES Ca2+ IONS FROM CHELATE & RESULTING IN REMOVAL OF LEAD IN URINE).

15. MERCURY TOXICITY(Hg)

16. general characteristics: OCCURS IN THREE FORMS ORGANICCOMPOUNDS, INORGANIC SALTS & ELEMENTAL . IT IS IN LIQUID FORM AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. IT IS SHINY, SILVER-WHITE ODOURLESS LIQUID.

17. SOURCES OF MERCURY: METALLIC Hg IS USED TO PRODUCE CLORINE GAS & CAUSTIC SODA. Hg SALTS ARE USED IN SKIN- LIGHTNING CREAMS & IN ANTISEPTICS OINTMENTS. ALSO USED IN THERMOMETERS, BATTERIES, AMALGAMS(DENTAL FILLINGS). IN MANUFACTURE OF VINYL CHLORIDE IN PLASTIC INDUSTRY. ALSO USED AS CATALYST IN MANY CHEMICAL REACTIONS.

18. TOXIC EFFECT OF MERCURY EXPOSURE: AT ROOM TEMPERATURE ELEMENTAL MERCURY VAPOURIZES & INHALED IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROUTE OF UPTAKE & READILY ABSORBED BY THE LUNGS . IT IS THEN RAPIDLY TRANSPORTED TO BLOOD . ABOUT 1% IS DEPOSITED IN BRAIN WHERE IT IS RETAINED FOR LONG TIME . REST IS TRANSPORTED TO LIVER & KIDNEYS WHERE IT IS EXCRETED OUT THROUGH BILE & URINE . CHANGE IN VISION, HEARING & MEMORY. MENSTRAUL DISTURBANCE IS ALSO CREATED .

19. PYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT OF MERCURY: AS MERCURY ABSORBS BY THE LUNGS IT CAUSES POOR GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTIONS . MERCURY ALSO CAUSES RENAL TUBULAR DYSFUNCTION ,HYPERTENSION , PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY . ALSO IT CAUSES HEMORRHAGE ARE RAPIDLY PRODUCED FOLLOWED BY CIRCULATORY COLLAPSE .

20. MINAMATA DISEASE(CASE STUDY): MINAMATA IS A BAY IN JAPAN . MINAMATA DISEASE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN MINAMATA CITY IN JAPAN IN 1956 . IT WAS CAUSE BY THE RELEASE OF METHYLMERCURY IN THE INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER FROM CHISSO CORPORATION CHEMICAL FACTORY . THIS HIGHLY TOXIC CHEMICAL BIOACCUMULATED IN SHELLFISH & FISH IN MINAMATA BAY. THIS WAS EATED BY LOCAL POPULACE ITS RESULTS IN DEATHS AMONG HUMANS, CATS, DOGS, PIGS, ETC. FOR ABOUT 36 YEARS IT CONTINUED .

21. MINAMATA DISEASE(CASE STUDY): THE GOVERNMENT & COMPANY DID LITTLE TO STOP POLLUTION . AS MARCH 2001, 2,265 VICTIMS HAD BEEN OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED AS HAVING MINAMATA DISEASE . THIS DISEASE IS A NEUROLOGICAL SYNDROME CAUSED BY SEVERE MERCURY POISONING . SYMPTOMS INCLUDE NUMBNESS IN THE HANDS&FEET, GENERAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS, NARROWING OF FIELD OF VISION & DAMAGE TO HEARING & SPEECH .

22. DIAGNOSIS: DIAGNOSIS OF MERCURY IS DONE BY PHYSICAL LAB ANALYSIS. ORGANIC Hg IS MEASURED IN WHOLE BLOOD, WHILE INORGANIC Hg IS MEASURED IN 24 HOURS IN URINE COLLECTION .

23. TREATMENT: CHELATING AGENT MAY ENHANCE REMOVAL OF INORGANIC MERCURY . SOME COMMON CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS USED FOR TREATMENT OF MERCURY POISONING ARE “DIMERCAPTOSUCCINIC ACID” & “D-PENICILAMINE” . THESE COMPOUNDS CONVERT INTRACELLULAR METHYL MERCURY SALTS INTO SOLUBLE COMPLEX THAT PASSES OUT OF THE BODY THROUGH URINE OR FAECAL EXCRETION .

24. ARSENIC TOXICITY(As)

25. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: ARSENIC IS FOUND IN NATURE IN LOW LEVELS . I NORGANIC ARSENIC IS COMPOUND FORM WITH CHLORINE & SULPHUR .ALSO ORGANIC ARSENIC FOUND IN PLANTS FORM BY COMBINING CARBON & HYDROGEN . ORGANIC ARSENIC IS USUALLY LESS HARMFUL THAN INORGANIC ARSENIC . MOST ARSENIC HAVE NO PARTICULAR SMELL OR SPECIAL TASTE .

26. SOURCES OF ARSENIC: ARSENIC IS COMMON IN THE ENVIRONMENT . GROUNDWATER . ARSENIC CONTAINING MINERALS ORES . SOME INDUSTRIES LIKE FOSSIL FUELS, METALLURGY, GLASS MANUFACTURING, SEMI CONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING, SMELTING & REFINING OF METAL & ORES, ETC.

27. TOXIC EFFECTS OF ARSENIC: IT IS CARCINOGENIC. INCREASES RISK OF LUNG CANCER & RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION. RISK OF SKIN CANCER. TUMORS OF THE BLADDER. CANCERS OF KIDNEY ,LIVER, ETC .

28. PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ARSENIC: IT BINDS WITH KERATIN DESULFIDES PRESENT IN HAIR, NAIL & SKIN . LOSS OF APETITE, GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS, DIARRHOEA, CONSTIPATION, ULCERATION IN FOLDS OF SKIN, SENSORY DISTURBANCES, VISUAL DISTURBANCES, DEGENERATION OF LIVER & KIDNEYS(cirrhosis), GARLIC ODOUR TO BREATH & BLINDNESS .

29. DIAGNOSIS: URINARY ARSENIC MEASUREMENT . SEAFOOD ENHANCES ARSENIC LEVELS ASK PATIENT WHETHER IT TAKEN SEAFOOD . METHLATED DERIVATIVES ARE ALSO USED TO DETECT ARSENIC . . .

30. TREATMENT: SUPPORTIVE CARE . CHELATION THERAPY BY USING FOLLOWING CHELATING AGENTS: BRITISH ANTI-LEWISITE . SUCCIMER-PO . D-PENICILLAMINE.

31. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: CADMIUM IS SOFT MALLEABLE, DUCTILE, BLUISH-WHITE METAL . UNLIKE OTHER METALS CADMIUM IS RESISTANT TO CORROSION & IS USED AS A PROTECTIVE PLATE ON OTHEULK R METALS . AS A BULK MATERIAL ,CADMIUM IS INSOLUBLE IN WATER & IS NOT FLAMMABLE . IT IS POWDERED FORM IT MAY BURN & RELEASE TOXIC FUMES .

32. SOURCES OF CADMIUM : CADMIUM OCCURS IN NATURE ALONG WITH ZINC . SMALL PARTICLES EXISTS IN AIR DUE TO SMELTING, SOLDERING OR HIGH TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS USED MAINLY IN METAL PLATING, BATTERIES, PLASTIC & NEUTRON ABSORBENT IN NUCLEAR REACTOR . CADMIUM IS BY PRODUCT OF SMELTER .

33. TOXIC EFFECTS OF CD : INHALATION-LOCAL IRRITATION OF RESPIRATORY TRACT . ORAL- GASTROINTESTINAL EFFECTS. KIDNEY – MOST CADMIUM SENSITIVE ORGAN . CARDIOVASCULAR HYPERTENSION. BONE. TESTIS – SENSITIVE FOR ACUTE NOT FOR CHRONIC .

34. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CADMIUM: IN KIDNEY ,ACCUMULATION OF CDMT IN THE RENAL CORTEX CAN CAUSE TUBULAR DYSFUNCTION . MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM DIRECT & INDIRECT EFFECTS . BREAST CANCER . OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE . CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE . BONE LOSE DENSITY .

35. ITAI-ITAI DISEASE(CASE STUDY) : IT IS A FORM OF CADMIUM POISONING . DUE TO EXCESS OF MINING THE RELEASED CADMIUM IS FLOWN INTO THE JINZU RIVER IN EXCESS IN JAPAN . DUE TO WHICH THERE WAS ACCUMULATION OF CADMIUM IN FISHES ,THE FISHES BEGAN TO DIE . ALSO WATER CONSUMED BY HUMANS & DIFFERENT ORGANISMS CAUSED MANY HAZARDOUS EFFECTS. THIS WAS NAMED AS ITAI-ITAI DISEASE(ITAI MEANS ITS HURTS) .

36. DIAGNOSIS : CHEST RADIOGRAPHY . RENAL TESTS . BLOOD TEST TO DETECT CD . URINE TEST . SERUM CREATININE .

37. TREATMENT : A STANDARD CHELATION THERAPY USING EDTA . STANDARD THERAPY USING BRITISH ANTI-LEWISITE. FLUID REPLACEMENT. MECHANICAL VENTILATION.

38. THANK YOU…!