21 Chemistry -- Bio-Organic Chemistry

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Heavy Metal Toxicity

↪ Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements having atomic weight and density at least 5 times greater than that of water.
↪ Their usage in modern age is tremendous.
↪ Because of their multiple industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical and technological applications, these heavy metals are widely distributed in our environment.
↪ Their huge disposal is equally causing potentially hazardous effects on our health on one hand and is also deteriorating the environmental situation on the other hand.
↪ Their toxicity depends on several factors which may include the dose of them exposed, way of exposure, chemical species that are surrounding us.
↪ Similarly, toxicity also does not count on the age, gender, genetics of the people, and also the nutritional level of human being.

↪ Based on the level of toxicity, iron, arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium are considered as the top ranked in relation to the human health.
↪ Their toxicity can lead to the failure or the damage of the organs.
↪ US Environmental Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified these as the known or probable human carcinogens.

↪ Our body even naturally contains some elements like zinc, iron, and copper as in the form of nutrients necessary for our regular body function if they are present in required amounts.
↪ Metal toxicity arises when soft tissues of our body absorb too much of a particular metal. 
↪ We might be exposed to high concentrations of these metals from food, air or water pollution, medicine, food containers, industrial exposure or also from lead based paints.

↪ The most common metals that the human body can absorb in toxic amounts are:

⇲ Mercury
⇲ Lead
⇲ Cadmium
⇲ Arsenic
⇲ Iron
Metal Poisoning System
↪ In general, metal poisoning of toxicity in human varies depending on the type of metal involved.
↪ The common symptoms of metal poisoning are as follows:⇲ diarrhea
⇲ nausea
⇲ abdominal pain
⇲ Shortness of breath
⇲ chills
⇲ miscarriage/premature delivery
⇲ vomiting
⇲ stinging in hands and feet
⇲ weakness
Heavy Metal Toxicity Symptoms
↪ Beside the common symptoms of metal poisoning, heavy metal poisoning can cause additional symptoms.
↪ The following are additional symptoms caused by the heavy metal poisoning.
⁕ Mercury poisoning symptoms
⇲ lack of coordination
⇲ muscle weakness
⇲ hearing and speech difficulties
⇲ damage of nerves related to hands and face
⇲ vision change
⇲ trouble walking

⁕ Lead poisoning symptoms
⇲ constipation
⇲ aggressive behavior
⇲ sleep difficulties
⇲ high blood pressure
⇲ irritation
⁕ Arsenic poisoning symptoms
⇲ unusual heart rhythm
⇲ muscle cramps
⇲ red or swollen skin
⇲ spots on skin like warts
⁕ Cadmium poisoning symptoms
⇲ fever
⇲ muscle pain
⇲ breathing problems

⁕ Iron poisoning
⇲ problems on lungs, stomach and intestines.
⇲ heart and blood related problems
⇲ liver and skin related issues
⇲ problems on the nervous system.

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