Metals are directly a n d / o r indirectly involved in all aspects of microbial growth, metabolism and differentiation. Many metals are essential, e.g. K, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, whereas others have no known essential biological function(s), e.g. AI, Ag, Cd, Sn, Au, Sr, Hg, T1, Pb. All these elements can interact with microbial cells and be accumulated as a result of physico-che...

Worldwide, metals have been distributed to excessive levels in the environment due to industrial and agricultural activities. Plants growing on soils contaminated with excess levels of metals experience a disturbance of the cellular redox balance, which leads to an augmentation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Even though the increased ROS levels can cause cellular damage, controlled levels pl...

Over the past century, unrestricted mining, extensive industrialization, modern agricultural practices and faulty waste disposal methods have resulted in the release of unprecedented levels of toxic heavy metals like Cd, Hg, Ag, Sn, Pb, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn, etc into the environment. Many metals are essential for microbial growth in less concentration, yet are toxic in higher concentrations. Biosorpt...

Fruits of Solanum Lycopersicum, well-known as tomatoes, have got an high contents of essential nutritive elements for human health. They are rich of vitamins C, A, B group, D, K and minerals (P, Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, K, Na) besides to be very rich in flavonoids and lycopene (1, 2). These characteristics make tomatoes the best allies against cancer disease and an essential food for a good health. ...

For decades, heavy metals have been deposited into marine sediments as a result of anthropogenic activities. Depending on their bioavailability, these metals may represent a risk to benthic organisms. Dissolved interstitial water metal concentrations have been shown to be better predictors of bioavailability than sediment metal concentrations. In order to improve our understanding of metals bio...

Ships transport about 80 percent of world trade and transfer approximately three to five billion tons of ballast water internationally every year. Due to the likely presence of pollutants, the ballast water discharged by ships can have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems. This study was conducted on 10 ships that entered the Bushehr port to determine the effectiveness of the ballast water ex...

Symbiodinium is an indispensable endosymbiont in corals and the most important primary producer in coral reef ecosystems. During the past decades, coral bleaching attributed to the disruption of the symbiosis has frequently occurred resulting in reduction of coral reef coverage globally. Growth and proliferation of corals require some specific trace metals that are essential components of perti...

Heavy metals are among the most significant freshwater pollutants and pose severe threats to geographical biodiversity. Pollution by heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, etc. not only affects the productivity of crops, but also compromises the quality of the atmosphere and water bodies. By propagation through the food chain, this type of pollution also threatens the health and life of animals and human...