Metals and environmental disease
Metals and their compounds have long been recognized as important toxic agents, causing acute and chronic poisoning cases in occupational settings and in environmental high-exposure situations. In recent years it has been demonstrated in epidemiological studies that exposures in the general environment to low levels of toxic metals can be considered a cause of environmental disease.
There is an obvious need for preventive action to decrease this global burden of disease. It is also important to address current concerns for possible increases of metal exposures.
If you are exposed to a hazardous substance, several factors will determine whether harmful health effects will occur, or have occurred, and what the type and severity of those health effects will be. These factors include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), the route or pathway by which you are exposed (breathing, eating, drinking, or skin contact), other chemicals to which you are exposed, and individual characteristics such as age, sex, nutritional status, family traits, life style, and state of health. (ATSDR)
Specific diagnostics are available to determine the type of exposure and need for treatment. Contact your doctor for more information.
Literature: Nordberg GF et al. Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, 4th ed. Academic Press 2015
Alphabetically listed are metals and facts as provided by governmental agencies and research.
Roles of Metals in Human Health
Excerpt from the article listed below
Metal ions are required to keep the human body healthy because several critical biological functions in humans depend upon their presence, and their absence or scarcity may lead to diseases. However, a few metal ions, particularly the so-called heavy metal ions, such as mercury and lead, can be dangerous due to their toxic effects.
Essential metal ions can also be toxic if present in excess, but their presence is crucial for survival. Among the metals that are currently known to be essential for normal biological functions in humans are sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) that belong to main group of elements, and vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc(Zn), molybdenum (Mo), and cadmium (Cd) that belong to transition metal group of elements in periodic table.
Among these metals, the most notable that usually exist in the form of ions, are Fe, Co, Ni, Ca,Cu, Zn, and Cr. The deficiency of Fe and Co leads to anemia, that of Cu leads to brain and heart diseases and anemia, that of Zn leads to growth retardation and skin changes, that of Ca leads to bone deterioration, and that of Cr reduces the glucose tolerance. Thus, the important aspect of medicinal bioinorganic chemistry is related to study at the molecular level the diseases caused by the deficiency or excess of the various metal ions and to find their remedy.
(PDF) Roles of metals in human health. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328099636_Roles_of_metals_in_human_health [accessed Aug 29 2025].