Research progress of heavy metal pollution in China: Sources, analytical methods, status, and toxicity

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems in China and a large number of people are threatened by heavy metal pollution. Extensive damage to human organs, such as liver, kidney, digestion system, and nervous system can be caused by uptake of excess heavy metals. Heavy metals in the environment can originate from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Although contamination of heavy metals has been known to be a severe environmental problem for decades, it is still getting worse in recent years and there are few feasible approaches to resolve this problem. Due to their high toxicity, prevalent existence and persistence in the environment, lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) are commonly considered as the priority heavy metals which should be concerned and their emission should be controlled in China. This paper reviewed the pollution of heavy metals in China, focusing on the following four aspects: current status of heavy metal pollution in China, sources of heavy metals in China, toxicity and potential risk, and possible reduction strategies.

Hexavalent Chromium Induced Alteration of Carbohydrate Bioenergetics: A Dose-dependent Study

“…Main target organs of Cr (VI) toxicity are lungs, liver, intestine, oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, kidney and brain [11], where it causes lung cancer, stomatitis, gingivitis, perforation of nasal septum, skin ulceration, and necrosis of liver and kidney [12]. The liver is the main organ responsible for the metabolism, detoxification and secretory function of the organism; it regulates plenty of metabolic pathways of mammalian systems [13].…”

Removal of Heavy Metals Using Bacterial Bio-Flocculants of Bacillus Sp. And Pseudomonas Sp.

“…Heavy metals are not biodegradable and tend to be accumulated in organisms and cause numerous diseases and disorders. Extensive damage to human organs, such as liver, kidney, digestion system, and nervous system can be caused by uptake of excess heavy metals (Ozer, Pirincci 2006;He et al 2013). The discharge of heavy metals into the environment due to agricultural, industrial, and military operations and the effect of this pollution on the ecosystem and human health are growing concerns.…”

Pay Attention to the Heavy Metals Research of Environment in Arid Regions of Northwest China, and Central Asia

“…According to our preliminary investigation, there have relatively high contents of heavy metals Zn, Cu, and As metalloid）of the sediments in rivers, lakes, and soils in north slope of xs and these made very serious potential threat for the environment and local people, because when the natural conditions changes such as the water amount of the rivers and lakes and the pH values of the soils, as well as the change of the precipitation and temperature of the basin, these all may made the migration and transformation of the high background heavy metals of the environment [4,5].…”