Toxic Metals and Elements

These flashcards cover key concepts related to toxic metals and their implications for human health, providing definitions and examples to assist with understanding and recall.

Heavy Metals

Metals that pose health hazards to humans, e.g., lead, mercury, cadmium.

Bioaccumulation

The process by which toxic metals increase in concentration as they move up the food chain.

Toxicity

The degree to which a substance is harmful or poisonous to living organisms.

Itai-itai disease

A disease caused by cadmium exposure that affects the bones and causes severe pain.

Minamata disease

A neurological syndrome caused by mercury poisoning, characterized by tremors and cognitive impairments.

Arsenic

A toxic metalloid associated with various health risks, including cancer, found in contaminated drinking water.

Lead exposure

Contact with lead, which can cause serious health effects, particularly in children.

Heavy metal exposure sources

Industrial emissions, contaminated food or water, and occupational settings.

Essential metals

Metals necessary for human nutrition but can be toxic at high levels, e.g., copper, zinc, iron.

Methylation of mercury

A process where methylmercury, a toxic form of mercury, is produced by microbial activity in sediment.

Nickel allergy

An allergic reaction that typically manifests as skin dermatitis due to contact with nickel.

Chronic exposure effects

Subtle health problems that develop over extended periods, often difficult to distinguish from other medical conditions.

Cultural exposure to mercury

Traditional practices among certain ethnic groups that use mercury medicinally, posing health risks.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

A US law that requires the EPA to identify and prioritize hazardous waste sites and substances.

Porous lead sources

Common sources of lead exposure include older buildings, lead pipes, and contaminated soil.

Occupational exposure

Contact with toxic metals in work environments that may increase health risks, typically in industrial settings.

Regulatory standards for arsenic

US EPA standard allows a maximum of 10 \mu g of arsenic per liter of drinking water.

Zinc exposure effects

Excess zinc can lead to gastrointestinal problems and impacts on the immune system.

Cadmium sources

Typically occurs in the environment from mining, industrial activities, and through food contamination.

Iron toxicity

Excess iron in the body can cause damage to organs and is particularly dangerous for infants.

Aluminum in medicine

Aluminum is used in certain pharmaceuticals like antacids, but has been linked to health concerns.

Pathways of exposure to metals

Common entry points include inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion through contaminated food or water.

Symptoms of lead poisoning in children

Developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and hearing loss; in severe cases, seizures and coma.

Chelation therapy

A medical procedure that involves administering substances called chelating agents to remove heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, arsenic) from the body.

Acute heavy metal toxicity

Rapid onset of severe health effects, such as gastrointestinal distress, neurological damage, or kidney failure, resulting from short-term exposure to high concentrations of heavy metals.