Arsenic compounds enzyme interactions

The metals discussed in this chapter—lead, arsenic, mercury, and iron—frequently cause significant toxicity in humans. The toxicity profiles of metals differ, but most of their effects appear to result from interaction with sulfhydryl groups of enzymes and regulatory proteins. Chelators are organic compounds with two or more electronegative groups that can form stable covalent-coordinate bonds with cationic metal atoms. As emphasized in this chapter, these stable complexes can often be excreted readily, thus reducing the toxicity of the metal. 

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