Topic > The negative impact of heavy metals on the environment and human health

Heavy metals are very dangerous and have become a great concern for healthcare professionals in recent years. Population growth, industrialization and urbanization have led to the emergence of manufacturing industries to feed the growing population. Smoke and fumes from industrial chimneys have caused long-range air emissions that have made ecological pollution from heavy metals become a global problem, also affecting the human population living in remote areas with less anthropogenic influence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayBad human activities have caused the deposition of heavy metals, confined within certain limits and incapable of causing harm to the inhabitants of the ecosystem, in very large quantities. high rate in the environment. Industrial enterprises such as mineral mining and smelting have contributed to environmental pollution from heavy metals. Mineral mining industries produce harmful metal pollutants that include copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As) and iron (Fe). These metals have harmful impacts on the ecosystem. Heavy metals are commonly present in untreated wastewater from mining, smelting, electroplating and metal finishing industries. For this reason, the effects of heavy metals on the environment, health and economy have attracted global attention. It is estimated that 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by bodies of water. These water bodies are often polluted by industrial growth, urbanization and technological progress. Heavy metal industries are the most harmful chemical intensive industries compared to others. Agricultural lands regularly irrigated with industrial effluents (IE) are easily polluted by toxic metals. Heavy metals have high solubility in the marine ecosystem and are easily absorbed by aquatic organisms. Once these metals reach the food chain, they eventually enter the human system and cause organs to malfunction. This poses a serious risk to the well-being of humans if large quantities of heavy metals above permitted levels are ingested. Food contaminated with excessive amounts of toxic metals can cause the onset of serious health situations such as cancer, tissue damage, skin damage, organ failure, pain, reduced immune system, etc. Heavy metals can appear in the marine environment through natural and/or anthropogenic processes. Heavy metals enter the aquatic environment through atmospheric precipitation, surface runoff, mineral extraction, municipal sewage, agriculture and industrial discharges. Many studies have been conducted on the concentrations of dissolved heavy metals and their risks to the aquatic environment. It can therefore be said that heavy metals not only pollute our marine systems but also threaten our source of drinking water. There are many processes available in the remediation of heavy metals from industrial wastewater. Therefore, it is essential to treat metal-polluted wastewater before its release into the environment. The adsorption of heavy metals from inorganic effluents can be achieved by physicochemical treatment methods such as chemical precipitation, chemical coagulation, ion exchange, membrane filtration and electrochemical method. These processes have significant shortcomings, including for example imperfect removal, high energy requirements and the production of poisonous sludge. Various treatments.