Poisoning with heavy metals most often concerns people who have contact with them in their daily work. However, the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning may also appear after consuming contaminated water or food, as these also contain elements harmful to he alth. What are the causes and symptoms of heavy metal poisoning? In which foods are heavy metals present? What is the treatment of heavy metal poisoning?
Heavy metal poisoningis a medical condition caused by heavy metals. This group includes heavy metals in the form of microelements that are necessary for the proper functioning of the body (e.g. zinc, copper, iron), and heavy metals unnecessary for life processes (e.g. cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic). Heavy metals in the form of mineral elements should be supplied to the body in strictly defined amounts, because both their deficiency and excess are detrimental to he alth.
The most dangerous heavy metals are cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic.
On the other hand, getting metals such as cadmium, mercury (specifically metallic mercury or mercury s alts) or lead into the human body, even in small amounts, poses a serious threat to human he alth and life. They are very toxic and, in addition, accumulate in the body, especially in the parenchymal organs (e.g. liver, kidneys), leading to their damage.
Heavy metals can cause acute and chronic poisoning in humans. Acute poisoning is most often caused by exposure to high doses of heavy metals. Chronic poisoning is the result of repeated or continuous exposure to low concentrations of heavy metals, leading to the accumulation of the toxic substance in the human body.
Heavy metal poisoning - causes
People who have professional contact with these compounds are most at risk of poisoning with toxic heavy metals, i.e. employees of the chemical industry (tanning, production of household chemicals, plant protection preparations, plastics and rubber products), fertilizers, cellulose - paper and electrical engineering, as well as employees of oil refineries, coal power plants and the coke industry, metallurgy andiron metallurgy, glass, ceramics, cement and asbestos industries. The risk group also includes people involved in the production of paints, solvents and varnishes, lamps and measuring devices.
Poisoning with heavy metals may be related to environmental pollution (soil, water, air). From the polluted environment, toxic compounds get into food - mainly fish and plants.
Heavy metals can enter the human body from soil, water and air through the respiratory and digestive systems and through the skin.
Worth knowingWhich vegetables and fish store the most heavy metals?
Among vegetables, leaves and roots (e.g. potatoes) are most exposed to contamination with heavy metals. Vegetables, the useful parts of which are fruits: tomatoes, legumes and cucurbits, keep much less harmful elements for he alth. Edible parts covered with leaves (cabbage head, cauliflower rose) are also characterized by a lower content of heavy metals, which provide natural protection against dust. In turn, fish species that are particularly polluted with heavy metals (especially mercury) are marlin, swordfish, shark and tuna.
Poisoning with heavy metals - symptoms
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Do not buy fruit and vegetables near busy communication routes
On roads with heavy car traffic, heavy metal accumulation in soils increases. However, plants growing on it can be contaminated not only by soil, but also by air polluted with heavy metals, which are easily trapped on the surface of the aerial parts of plants. Therefore, you should not grow and buy vegetables and fruit near busy communication routes. Before preparing food, fruit and vegetables should be thoroughly washed under running water, discarding the outer leaves and peeling them. As some of the metal compounds are washed out during cooking, it is safer to cook vegetables from an unknown source in plenty of water.
Heavy metal poisoning - effects
Heavy metals accumulate in the body, especially in the liver and kidneys, and damage them. Heavy metals also have a toxic effect on the brain, hence the symptoms of the nervous system, such as, for example, sleep disorders, impaired concentration and memory, paresis, and even symptoms resembling mental diseases. Heavy metals can also lead to bone decalcification, changes in the skeletal system, infertility, unfavorable changes in the cardiovascular system, damage to the fetus, and the development of neoplasms, e.g. cadmium increases the risk of developing especially kidney and prostate cancer, and arsenic - skin, lungs and liver.
Heavy metal poisoning - treatment
Treatment of heavy metal poisoning depends on the type of heavy metal. For example, in the case of lead poisoning, oral or intravenous EDTA chelation is used. EDTA is a compound that "captures" and removes harmful metals from the body. If indicated, gastric lavage can be performed with 3% sodium sulfate with plenty of activated charcoal. If you have encephalopathy and acute or chronic renal failure,hemodialysis is indicated. If there are severe intestinal colic, opioids (e.g. codeine) are used.
In turn, to help a person who has been poisoned with mercury s alts, give them milk with chicken protein as soon as possible, induce vomiting and transport them to the hospital. The antidote for poisoning with metallic mercury and mercury s alts is BAL, i.e. dimercaptopropanol, administered intramuscularly.
Bibliography:
1. Kondej D., Heavy metals - benefits and threats to he alth and the environment, "Safety of work" 2007, No. 22. Kłys M., With mercury (and …) for centuries, Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology 20103. Czeczot H., Majewska M ., Cadmium - risk and he alth effects, "Farmacja Polska" 66 (2)