“…In fact, As, Pb, Hg, and Cd are listed as the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 7 th most important hazardous substances on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's 2013 CERCLA priority list of 275 substances, respectively. Exposure to heavy metals can occur through a variety of exposure routes, including inhalation as dust and fumes [17,18], and ingestion from food and water [19][20][21], and can cause a wide spectrum of health problems including convulsions, coma, renal failure, injuries to the lungs and neurologic system, memory loss, delirium, diabetes, kidney damage, and a variety of cancers [22]. In addition, heavy metals can cross the placental barrier during pregnancy resulting in toxic exposures during highly susceptible periods of fetal development [23][24][25].…”