Heavy metals are among the most significant freshwater pollutants and pose severe threats to geographical biodiversity. Pollution by heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, etc. not only affects the productivity of crops, but also compromises the quality of the atmosphere and water bodies. By propagation through the food chain, this type of pollution also threatens the health and life of animals and human...

Oral metal exposure has been associated with diverse adverse reactions, including neurotoxicity. We showed previously that dentally applied metals activate dendritic cells (MoDC) via TLR4 (Ni, Co, Pd) and TLR3 (Au). It is still unknown whether the low levels of dental metals reaching the brain can trigger local innate cells or prime them to become more responsive. Here we tested whether dentall...

Uranium mining waste piles, heavily polluted with radionuclides and other toxic metals, are a reservoir for bacteria that have evolved special strategies to survive in these extreme environments. Understanding the mechanisms of bacterial adaptation may enable the development of novel bioremediation strategies and other technological applications. Cell isolates of Bacillus sphaericus JG-A12 from...

BACKGROUND Although the level of exposure to many toxic metals decreased recently, the adverse effects of these metals on children's growth and development remain a serious public health issue. METHODS The present study was conducted in three teaching hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) from Sep 2012 to Mar 2013. To study the relationship between met...

in recent years, environmental pollution by coal mining is a long-established human activity affecting all levels of life with various environmental impacts by generating heavy metals. the presence of heavy metals even in trace amount is toxic and detrimental to all living organisms. the coal mine area in bokaro is one of the “toxic hotspot” in india. bacteria have evolved uptake and efflux mec...

The aim of this study was to assess heavy metals mobility and toxicity in sediments collected from a dam reservoir in the conditions of intensive human impact by using chemical fractionation and a battery of bioassays. In the studies, the test organisms were exposed to substances dissolved in water (Microtox, Phytotestkit) as well to substances absorbed on the surface of solid particles (Phytot...

Despite many scientific advances, human exposure to, and intoxication by, toxic metal species continues to occur. Surprisingly, little is understood about the mechanisms by which certain metals and metal-containing species gain entry into target cells. Since there do not appear to be transporters designed specifically for the entry of most toxic metal species into mammalian cells, it has been p...

Metals are essential cofactors for bio-chemical processes, including oxidative phosphorylation, gene regulation and free-radical homeostasis. Abnormalities in metal ions concentration in organisms, lead towards the eco-physiological hazards in the aquatics. In aquatic organisms, metal absorption involves transfer of metals to the circulatory system following: uptake by the apical membrane; move...

Transition metals are a group of elements widespread in aquatic environments that can be hazardous when concentrations exceeding threshold values. Due to insufficient data, criteria maximum concentrations (CMCs) of only seven transition metals for protecting aquatic life have been recommended by the USEPA. Hence, it is deemed necessary to develop empirical models for predicting the threshold va...

In order to use the “Trinidad de Guedes" phosphorite (TGP) as a supplement of calcium and phosphorus in animals, its concentrations of heavy metals were determined and their deposition was analyzed in broilers. Toxic elements were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean levels of heavy metals found in TGP were 82.5 mg/kg lead (Pb), 7.2 mg/kg cadmium (Cd), 1056.9 mg/kg man...