Metal toxicity cadmium

Kidney. Because the kidney is the main excretory organ of the body, it is a common target organ for metal toxicity. Cadmium and mercury, in particular, are potent nephro-toxicants and are discussed more fully in the following sections and in Chapter 15. 

Fox MRS (1979) Nutritional influences on metal toxicity Cadmium as a model toxic element. Environ. Health Perspect. 29 95-104 Friberg L, Piscator M, Nordberg GF, Kjellstrom T (1974) Cadmium in the environment. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio... 

The salts of the heavy metals beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc are all of high eco-toxicity. For example, the toxicity of some heavy metals to rainbow trout is demonstrated in Table 16.13 coarse fish are somewhat more resistant. 

Battery technology continues to advance at a steady pace. Lithium batteries and nickel-metal-hydride batteries are now commonplace. These new rechargeable batteries eliminate the need for toxic cadmium and store more energy per unit mass. The detailed chemistry that underlies the newest advances in battery technology involves principles that are beyond the scope of an introductory course. 

Many studies have reported the effects of metals on general soil microbiological processes. Metals including cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc have been reported to inhibit many of the microbial processes listed above. Metal toxicity in the environment ultimately decreases litter decomposition, which can be measured by the rate of mass loss. Both copper (0.5 mg Cu g4 soil) and zinc (1.0 mg Zn g 1 soil) were shown to decrease the rate of decomposition of unpolluted Scots pine needle litter near a brass mill in Sweden.61 Duarte et al.63 also determined that copper and zinc toxicity reduced leaf decomposition rates and fungal reproduction. Other metals, such as cadmium, nickel, and lead, have also been reported to decrease litter decomposition.77... 

Other studies use soil or sediment samples for a more accurate indication of microbial activity in natural environments. In these samples, organic matter and clay particles play a role in metal toxicity.76112113 Both organic material and clay particles in soil can bind metals and reduce their bioavailability. For example, Pardue et al.87 demonstrated that much less solution-phase cadmium was required to inhibit trichloroaniline (TCA) dechlorination in a mineral-based soil than in a soil containing a higher concentration of organic matter. Other studies have shown that adding clay minerals to a medium mitigates toxicity. Clay minerals, such as kaolinite, montmorillonite, bentonite, and vermiculite, can bind to metals to decrease the amount that is bioavailable.112 115... 

Metal toxicity is also affected by physiochemical factors, such as pH and the concentration of divalent cations. Adding divalent cations, such as zinc, has been reported to mitigate toxicity produced by other metals. For example, the addition of 60 pM zinc reduced toxicity in Pseudomonas putida caused by 3 mM cadmium.148 Zinc had no effect on cells grown in the absence of cadmium. Little is understood surrounding the mechanism of protection however, cadmium uptake was observed to be dependent on zinc concentration.149 Zinc was found to be a competitive inhibitor of cadmium uptake. 

Nanoparticles such as those of the heavy metals, like cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, lead sulfide, and cadmium telluride are potentially toxic [14,15]. The possible mechanisms by which nanoparticles cause toxicity inside cells are schematically shown in Fig. 2. They need to be coated or capped with low toxicity or nontoxic organic molecules or polymers (e.g., PEG) or with inorganic layers (e.g., ZnS and silica) for most of the biomedical applications. In fact, many biomedical imaging and detection applications of QDs encapsulated by complex molecules do not exhibit noticeable toxic effects [16]. One report shows that the tumor cells labeled with QDs survived in circulation and extravasated into tissues... 

Devi, V.U. 1987. Heavy metal toxicity to fiddler crabs, Uca annulipes LatreiUe and Uca triangularis (Milne Edwards) tolerance to copper, mercury, cadmium, and zinc. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 39 1020-1027. Devi, V.U. and Y.R Rao. 1989. Heavy metal toxicity to fiddler crabs, Uca annulipes Latreille and Uca triangularis (Milne Edwards) respiration on exposure to copper, mercury, cadmium, and zinc. Bull. 

Trace metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, mercury, zinc) Industrial and municipal wastewaters runoff from urban areas and landfill erosion of contaminated soils and sediments atmospheric deposition Toxic effects including birth defects, reproductive failure, cancer, and systemic poisoning. 

Toxic pollutants (p,g/L) Toxic metals Arsenic Cadmium Chromium 3 3 10,000-26,000 12,000 16,000... 

Heavy metal toxicity in plants is infrequent (143). In many cases, metal concentrations in plant parts show poor correlation with soil concentrations of the element (147). Plants tend to exclude certain elements and readily accept or concentrate others. Lisk (148) reported natural plant soil concentration ratios of 0.05 or less for As, Be, Cr, Ga, Hg, Ni, and V. Cadmium appears to be actively concentrated and selenium appears to be easily exchangeable. Indicator plants are capable of markedly concentrating specific elements, e.g., Astragalus spp. for selenium (138) and Hybanthus floribundus for nickel (149). Plants growing on mine wastes have been shown to evolve populations which exhibit metal-specific tolerances (150). 

The metals of most concern are the heavy metals, especially cadmium, lead, and mercury. Although it is a metalloid with characteristics of both metals and nonmetals, arsenic is commonly classified as a heavy metal for a discussion of its toxicity. Though not particularly toxic, zinc is abundant and may reach toxic levels in some cases. For example, zinc accumulates in sewage sludge and crop productivity has been lowered on land fertilized with sludge because of zinc accumulation. Copper may be toxic to plants. Aluminum, a natural constituent of soil, may be leached from soil by polluted acidic rainwater and reach levels that are toxic to plants. Other metals that may be of concern because of their toxicides include chromium, cobalt, iron, nickel, and vanadium. Radium, a radioactive alpha particle-emitting metal, can be very toxic at even very low levels in water or food. 

Endogenous substances other than metallothionein may be involved in minimizing the effects of heavy metals and excreting them from the body. Hepatic (liver) glutathione, discussed as a phase II conjugating agent in Section 7.4, plays a role in the excretion of several metals in bile. These include the essential metals copper and zinc toxic cadmium, mercury(II), and lead(II) ions and organometallic methyl mercury. 

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