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Other Lessons:
Metals
are the oldest toxin known to man. They are present
in the rocks and ores. Rain water dissolves them and distributes them in the
environment. We get exposed to them because we use them for various
purposes.
Health
effects due to exposure to metals could range from skin lesions to cancer.
Metals can be classified into four different groups.
Major
Toxic Metals
These
are the most toxic metals, which produce multiple health effects in us. Listed
below are the more important major toxic metals.
|
Metals |
Source of Exposure |
Health Effects |
|
Chromium |
Combustion of coal and crude oil, cement
manufacturing, tanning industry, toner of copying machine. |
Acute
Effects - Dypsnea, coughing, and wheezing, skin burns, Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea.
Chronic
Effects -
Bronchitis,
pneumonia, asthma, nasal itching and soreness, human
carcinogen
|
|
Arsenic |
Volcanoes, contaminated drinking water ( leaching
from soil), defoliant, was used as an insecticide, and herbicides. |
Acute Effects -
nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache.
Chronic
Effects - irritation of the skin, dermatitis, skin lesion
-
hyper pigmentation, and Blackfoot disease (necrosis and
gangrene). Inhalation causes lung cancer, ingestion causes skin,
bladder and liver cancer. |
|
Lead |
Leaded gasoline, food and soil, toys, battery
manufacturing plants |
Acute
Effects -
headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms,
Death at high level of exposure.
Chronic
Effects -
anemia in children,
behavioral and learning disabilities,
spontaneous abortion in pregnant women,
low birth weight,
hyperactive,
cancer-causing agent. |
|
Mercury |
Freshwater
fish caught from contaminated waters, dental filling,
fluorescent lights, and thermometers, |
tremors,
inability to walk, convulsions, and even death at high doses, emotional
changes, delayed onset of walking and talking in children. |
|
Nickel |
Food,
nickel
containing jewelry, cooking utensils, stainless steel kitchens, and
clothing fasteners,
spark
plugs, batteries.
|
Acute
Effects -
Headache, vertigo, nausea,
vomiting, insomnia, and irritability
Chronic
Effects - lung and nasal cancers |
Essential
Metals With Toxicity Potential
These are the
metals which we need for our growth and development, but become toxic when
taken more than what is required.
|
Metals |
Source of Exposure |
Health Effects |
|
Iron |
Mine, iron and steel workplace, during medical
use. |
Acute Effects - Vomiting, and ulceration of GIT,
liver damage and renal failure.
Chronic
- diabetes mellitus, affects liver functions and
cardiovascular effects. |
|
Zinc |
Foodstuff,
water, and air, galvanized cans and utensils, and
plastic pipes, higher amount in seafood, meat, whole grains, dairy
products, and nuts. |
Gastrointestinal distress and diarrhea, Inhalation
could cause fever, |
|
Selenium |
Food,
drinking water, metal industries, selenium-recovery processes,
plastics, paints, enamels, inks, and rubber, antidandruff shampoos. |
Acute
Effects - irritation
of the mucous membranes of lungs, pulmonary edema, severe bronchitis,
and bronchial pneumonia. irritation
of the mucous membranes of nose and throat, producing coughing, and
nosebleeds, indigestion
and nausea,
headaches, dizziness, and irritation of the eyes, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, aches, irritability, chills, and tremors.
Chronic
Effects - discoloration of the skin, deformation and loss of
nails, loss of hair, excessive tooth decay and discoloration, and lack
of mental alertness.
|
Metals with
Toxicity Related to Medical Therapy
These are the
metals which are used to treat a number of human ills, but they produce toxic
effects when they accumulate in the body.
|
Metals |
Source of Exposure |
Health Effects |
| Aluminum
|
Cooking utensils, used in dialysis fluid, containers. |
Irritated eyes, skin,
irritates the lung tissues and causes pulmonary fibrosis
producing restrictive and obstructive lung diseases, affects GIT. |
| Gold
|
Seawater, during
medical use, industrial use. |
Dermatitis,
stomatitis |
Minor Toxic
Metals
|
Metals |
Source of Exposure |
Health Effects |
|
Barium
|
Paints, soap, paper, and
rubber, water, X-rays |
Gastroenteritis, muscular paralysis, lungs and
causes pneumoconiosis. |
|