| Popis: |
Metals in our environment originate from either natural geologic or anthropogenic industrial sources. The human interference in natural processes and the ever extending uses of metals in human applications lead to exposure and health risks not previously considered. Exposure to metals, be it by natural or anthropogenic sources, constitutes a serious and increasing concern to human health. A series of case examples is presented involving environmental and human exposure and health risk associated with metals. These examples include environmental arsenic as a chronic human poison, the role of depleted uranium in embedded metal fragments, the role of tungsten and man-made tungsten alloys in human poisoning, the potential human side effects and toxicity of metal alloys such as chromium–cobalt and titanium–nickel used in human implant materials, the health risk of mercury as an anthropogenic environmental contaminant, and the health risks of thallium as an environmental or forensic poison. In spite of the vast knowledge on ‘old’ poisonous metals, the interface between natural and human processing produces continuously new routes of exposure and health risks. The complementary contributions of environmental monitoring and toxicological (effect) monitoring help to define the human health risk and provide a basis for developing guidelines and strategies for control and prevention. |
