This document discusses several inorganic toxicants and their sources and effects. It describes how heavy metals like arsenic, chromium, and lead from industrial and agricultural activities can pollute the environment and harm human health. Specific toxic metals mentioned include arsenic, which causes cancer from long-term exposure, and lead, which can damage the nervous system and cause developmental issues in children. The document also examines air pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide emitted from fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, power plants, and industry.

1. DEVINDER YADAV, DIKSHA , HIMANSHI
SHARMA , GAURAV SINGH
M.Sc II Year

2. DEVINDER YADAV
M.Sc II Year

3.  Inorganic chemicals: Various compounds of Ni, As and Cr are
well known carcinogens. People working in Refineries &
production of Cr compounds develop typical cancers due to
occupational exposure. Exposure to Arsenic for a long time
causes skin cancer. Oxides of nitrogen (e.g. N2O3& NO2) can
produce the mutagenic nitrosamines on interaction with
biological system & hence are carcinogenic.
 Air pollutants: Air pollutants such as SO2, NO2, PAH, PAN,
ozone & the compounds with functional groups – CHO, C=O, -
O-O- are active carcinogens

4.  Inorganic chemical pollutants – are those chemicals of mineral origin in
(not produced by living organisms). Common inorganic chemical
pollutants include:
 Metals and their salts – usually from mining and smelting activities,
 Inorganic fertilizers (e.g., nitrates, phosphates) used largely in
agriculture and gardening.
 Sulfides (such as pyrite) are usually mined minerals and once disposed
of in the environment, they may generate sulfuric acid in the presence
of precipitation water and microorganisms
 Ammonia is a poisonous gas if released in higher amounts and may
cause blindness followed by death;
 The oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are very common air
pollutants resulting from vehicle emissions, industrial processes, and
other human activities

7. airTOXICANT SOURCES
Naturally occurring
toxicants are from
Volcanic eruptions
(CO2),
(SO2), (H₂S), (H₂) ,(HF)
, (HCl),(BrO) & (CO).
OUTDOOR SOURCES
coal-fired power plants,
industries, and refineries,
mining operations , fossil fuel
combustion , cars, trucks and
buses
INDOOR SOURCES
tobacco Smoke , building
materials like asbestos, and
chemicals like solvents

8.  Ozone
Ozone (also called smog) is currently one of the least-well-controlled pollutants in the
many countries . It is also one of the most dangerous—and it's invisible.
 Particulate Matter
Particulate matter, or particle pollution, refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid
particles that are in the air we breathe. It is dangerous enough to shorten your life.
 Nitrogen Dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is a gas that comes from burning fuels. Live near a busy highway?
You may be breathing a lot of nitrogen dioxide.
 Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur dioxide forms when sulfur-containing fuel such as coal, oil or diesel is burned.
Live near a power plant or a port? You may have more sulfur dioxide in your air.
 Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is another gas that forms from burning fuels. High levels often show
up near roadways.
 Perchlorate -includes the perchloric acids and its various salts. Perchlorate is used in a
variety of applications including rocket fuel, explosives, military operations, fireworks,
road flares, inflation bags, etc. Perchlorate is problematic because it is persistent and
may damage thyroid function in humans.

10.  Most toxicants that enters the aquatic environments are
chemical in nature and range from completely toxic substance
such as agricultural pesticide, cyanide and salt of various
heavy metals to nutrient such as phosphate, nitrate, fertilizer
and organic matter of domestic and industrial origin.
 The aquatic ecosystem has received considerable attention
due to their heavy metals toxicity which are dangerous to
aquatic biota as it can be bioaccumulated in them through
food chain.
 Apart from the inorganic chemicals these pollutants include
mineral acids, trace elements, metals, metals compounds,
complexes of metals with organic compounds, cyanides,
sulphates, etc.

12. Element Sources Adverse effects
Arsenic (As) Pesticides, Chemical wastes, Mining bi-
products
Enzyme-inhibitor, Carcinogenic
Beryllium (Be). Nuclear power and Space industries, Coal Toxic, Carcinogenic
Boron (B)
Lead (Pb)
Industrial wastes, Detergent formulations,
Coal
Plumbing, mining, coal, gasoline
Toxic to some plants
Causes anaemia, kidney malfunctioning,
nervous disorder.
Cadmium (Cd) Industrial discharge, Metal plating, Ni-Cd
batteries, Mining waste.
Causes high blood pressure, kidney
malfunctioning, anaemia, disorder of bone
marrow
Chromium (Cr III & Cr
VI)
Metal plating industries , Tanning process. Cr (VI) carcinogenic.
Copper (Cu) Metal plating industries, mining, mineral
leaching
Toxic to plants and algae.
Fluorine (F ) Natural geological sources, industrial
waste
Causes bone damage, mottled teeth

14.  pesticides like aldrin, chlordane and DDT, industrial chemicals
like PCBs and HCBs, and unintended by-products like
dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans. They persist in the
environment, are distributed globally in air and ocean currents,
and accumulate in animals in the food chain (including in
humans). Their side effects depend on the chemical and the
contaminated species; for example, they may have effects on
reproductive or immune systems, or increase cancer risks.

15. FOODTOXICANT
SOURCES
Naturally occurring
toxicants (toxicants in
plants, animal food,
anti nutritional factors)
Environmental
contaminants (biological
contaminants, pesticide
residues, vet drug
residues, heavy metals)
Miscellaneous
(dioxins, acrylamide,
contaminants from
plastic)

16. Element Source Effect
Chlorpyrifos organophosphate pesticide neurological toxic effects in humans
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) uses in industry, including in
transformers, as heat exchange
fluids or paint additives, or in
plastic
immune and carcinogenic effects
perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
(PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA
materials and industries .
Sea food in china
endocrine and immune system
disruption and developmental
problems
Acrylamide Associated with high heat cooking
processes (e.g., in breads and baked
or fried potatoes)
Used in chemical industry
Carcinogen
Lead Sea food Complications in the nervous
system and red blood cells
Cadmium Sea food Renal tubular dysfunction,
associated with high risk of lung
and breast cancer
Arsenic Sea food Associated with dermal,
respiratory, nervous, mutagenic,

17.  Types, sources and effects of chemical toxicants: An overview Sangita D.
Katre Dept. of Chemistry, C. J. Patel Arts, Commerce, Science &
Postgraduate College, Tirora-441911, R. T. M. Nagpur University, Nagpur,
Maharashtra (India)
 Role of Inorganic Pollutants in Freshwater Ecosystem - A Review. S.
Thangamalathi1 and V. Anuradha
 Sources and Toxicity of Pollutants Francisco Sánchez-Bayo* Centre for
Ecotoxicology, University of Technology Sydney, Australia

19. Sources of inorganic toxicants
CO2, CO, NO2, SO2 , Hg , Pb, Cu ,
Zn , Ar , O3 , NO , Particulate
matter (PM)

20. National Ambient Air Quality Index

21. MAJOR
INORGANI
C
TOXICANT
S
Nitrogen
dioxide
Ozone
The clean Air Act ( CAA) of
1970 identified six common
air pollutant of concern
called criteria pollutants .

22. Lead poisoning contributed to "THE DECLINE OF THE
ROMAN EMPIRE"
It is a medical condition caused by increased level of lead
in the body
Lead poisoning as a venous BLL >5 ug/dL for children and
BLL >10ug/dL for adults .
First time lead poisoning in childhood was reported in
ceylon in 1967 .
UNEP banned global use of leaded gasoline (1995 ) but still
used in some countries .
Lead Poisoning (Plumbism )

23. Toxicokinetics of lead

24. TOXICITY OF LEAD
In children it affects CNS cause lead encephalitis , mental
retardation , optic neuropathy and blindness.
In adults it results in peripheral neuropathy , chronic neuropathy
.
It also cause following effects :
• Renal toxicity
• Hypertension
• Immunotoxicity
• Carcinogenicity

25. Treatment for Lead toxicity
Chelation therapy. In this treatment, a
medication given by mouth binds with the
lead so that it's excreted in urine. Chelation
therapy might be recommended for children
with a blood level of 45 mcg/dL or greater and
adults with high blood levels of lead or
symptoms of lead poisoning.
Example : DMSA
EDTA chelation therapy. Doctors treat
adults with lead levels greater than 45 mcg/dL
of blood and children who can't tolerate the
drug used in conventional chelation therapy
most commonly with a chemical called
calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic
acid (EDTA). EDTA is given by injection.

26. CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING
SORCES OF CARBON MONOXIDE
A) incomplete combustion of fluids and
carbon containing compounds .
B) Burning of coal in factories .
C) Emission from automobiles , rail engines and
aircrafts .
TOXIC EFFECTS OF
CARBON
MONOXIDE
• AT I ppm – Mental
disturbance and visual
perception
• Above 1 ppm – headache ,
dizziness and coma
• At 750 ppm – Death

27. Biochemical changes due to CO poisoning
INFLAMMAT
ORY EFFECT
OF CO2
PISONING

28. HAEMOGLOBIN AND
MITOCHONDRIAL
EFFECTS OF C02

29. Treaetment for CO poisoning
Contact National posion Information center (NPIC)
Breathing pure oxygen. In the emergency room, you may breathe pure
oxygen through a mask placed over your nose and mouth. This helps
oxygen reach your organs and tissues. If you can't breathe on your own,
a machine (ventilator) may do the breathing for you.
Spending time in a pressurized oxygen chamber. In many cases,
hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recommended. This therapy involves
breathing pure oxygen in a chamber in which the air pressure is about
two to three times higher than normal. This speeds the replacement of
carbon monoxide with oxygen in your blood.

30. SULPHUR DIOXIDE AS AN AIR
POLLUTANT
• Sulphur dioxide is the most dangerous pollutant gas to the human body .
• Sources of sulfur dioxide : burning of coal and oil .
• Toxic effects of sulfur dioxide on human body
Affect respiratory system ( lung tissue gets damage due to acidic pH )
Irritation of respiratory tract
Breathing difficulties due to bronchioconstriction .
• Sulphur dioxide and sulfur trioxide in the presence of water vapors forms
sulphates and sulfuric acid .
• Acid rain : atmospheric so2 when dissolved in rain water becomes very acidic ,
damaging soil , plants and vegetables .
CHEMICALLY REDUCING SFOG
Derived from combustion of coal and oil containing SO2 AND SO3 mixed with soot .
" LONDON SMOG " is the example of episodic exposure of reducing smog in december 1952 for 5
days with an estimated 4000 deaths during the event itself and perhaps 1000 more in the weeks to
follow .

31. Treatment for SO2
posioning

32. NITROGEN OXIDE AS AN AIR
POLLUTANT

33. GROUND LEVEL OZONE AS AN
AIR POLLUTANT
How it is formed
No2 + hv ( UV light ) O(free radical )
+ NO
O (free radical ) + O2 O3
O3 + NO NO2
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION OF
OZONE AND ITS EFFECT OH HUMAN
HEALTH

34. BY GAURAV SINGH

35.  All substances are poisons, the right dose differentiates a
poison and a remedy.
 Food toxins are susbtances that cause foods to become toxic.
 Natural occuring – cyanogenic glycosides, solanine,
biogenic amines and mycotoxins.
 Intentionaly added - food addetives, pesticides.
 Microbiological – pathogenic microorganisms(bacteria,
viruses, fungi,etc.

36.  Cynogenic glycosides- Cynaide containing.
 examples: cassava, beans, almonds,
sorghum.
Solanine –pesticidal property(natural
defence)
in tomato,potato,brinjal &cause solanine
poisioning.
Biogenic amine- foods containing
histamine, mainly found in
microbiologically spoiled food(fish,
ferment.food)

38.  Intentionally added substances during
manufacture,prossesing, packing in foods.
 Addetives provide protection against food spoilage during
storage as well as toxicity at high dose

39.  Sodium benzoate – Aggravates asthma ,may cause fetal
abnormalties.
 Sodium nitrite and nitrate- carcinogen ,increase risk of
miscaariages, fetal death and birth defect
 Tetrazine -Orange dye cause urticarial, asthma, hyperkinetic
behaviour
 Saccharin – blaader tumour, allergies.

40.  Pestisides may be used to control growth of weed,rodents and
molds.
 When a crop is treated with pesticide a very small amount of
pesticide can remain in crop until it is harvested.
 Gas chromatography and HPLC are used to analysis
pestiside.
 Eg- Organophosphate, carbamates,copper sulfate etc.

41.  Most contaminated food include strawberry, spinach, kale, apple ,
grapes etc.
 Exposure to pestisides dangerous for young children
 Exposure may leads to developmental and behavior issuses.
 DDT accumulate in adipose tissue and interfering with hormonl
function of estrogen, testrosterone.
 Organophosphosphate cause irreversible inhibition of
actylcholineestrase leading to build up actylcholine results in muscle
overstimulation.
 Atropine can be used as antidote.

42.  Toxic substance produced by fungi(mold) on growing crops or during
storage of grain.
 More than 300-400 myotoxins are known.
 Aflatoxin, Triocothecenes, Fumonisins etc. are more potent.
 Aflatoxin are the most important mycotoxin , produced by certain sp. Of
aspergillus.
 Most common commodities contaminated are tree nuts, peanuts and
corn.
 High humid and high temperature(tropical) promote aflatoxin
colonization in maize.
 Metabolised in liver by cyP450- adduct byproduct may cause mutation
in liver. possible teratogenic ,deterioration of liver and kidney
function, necrosis of skin, immunodeficeny, are some toxic effects.

44.  Mushroom toxicity is caused by high content of amatoxins in
mushrooms.
 Mushroom identified as containing amatoxin are speices
Amanita(death cap), phallotoxin, muscarine
Amanitin – organ failure(kidney and liver)
 Phallotoxin - extreme gastrointestinal upset

49.  Metal non metallic salts acids and base

52.  Because mercury is a persistent substance, it can build up, or bio accumulate, in living
organisms, inflicting increasing levels of harm on higher order species such as
predatory fish and fish eating birds and mammals through a process know as
"biomagnification
 Fish and other aquatic
animals ingest the mercury, and it
is then passed along the food
chain until it reaches humans. It
produce adverse health effects at
sufficiently high
doses. Mercury can damage
human health because it is toxic to
the nervous system — the brain
and spinal cord — particularly the
developing nervous system of a
fetus or young child.

55. Oil spills kill many organisms, upset the ecosystem