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. TOXICITYOF 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.

5. MECHANISM OFTOXICITYOF 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) .

7. 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

8. SOME HEAVY METALS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

10. GENERALCHARACTERISTICS:
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.

11. SOURCESOF 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 .

12. IN MOSTLY LIPSTICKS
LEAD CONTENT IS
MORE…

13. TOXICEFFECTDUETO LEAD EXPOSURE:
ABDOMINAL CRAMPS
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR
CONSTIPATION
SLEEP PROBLEMS
HEADACHE
IRRITABILITY
LOSS OF DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS IN CHILDREN
LOW IQ
PROBLEM WITH HEARING

15. PHYSIOLOGICALEFFECTSOFLEAD:
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.

17. 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.

18. 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).

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

22. SOURCESOFMERCURY:
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.

23. TOXICEFFECTOFMERCURYEXPOSURE:
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 .

25. PYSIOLOGICALEFFECTOFMERCURY:
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.

26. MINAMATADISEASE(CASESTUDY):
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 .

27. MINAMATADISEASE(CASESTUDY):
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 .

29. 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 .

30. 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 .

33. GENERALCHARACTERISTICS:
ARSENIC IS FOUND IN NATURE IN LOW LEVELS .
INORGANIC 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 .

34. SOURCESOFARSENIC:
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.

35. TOXICEFFECTSOFARSENIC:
IT IS CARCINOGENIC.
INCREASES RISK OF LUNG CANCER &
RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION.
RISK OF SKIN CANCER.
TUMORS OF THE BLADDER.
CANCERS OF KIDNEY ,LIVER, ETC .

37. PHYSIOLOGICALEFFECTSOFARSENIC:
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 .

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

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

44. GENERALCHARACTERISTICS:
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 .

45. SOURCESOFCADMIUM:
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 .

47. TOXICEFFECTSOF 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 .

49. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTSOF 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 .

50. ITAI-ITAIDISEASE(CASESTUDY):
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) .

52. DIAGNOSIS:
oCHEST RADIOGRAPHY .
oRENAL TESTS .
oBLOOD TEST TO DETECT CD .
o URINE TEST .
oSERUM CREATININE .

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

54. THANK YOU…!