Concentrations of 6 different heavy metals and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in stormwater runoff and in the pond water of two Danish wet detention ponds. The pond water samples were analyzed for toxic effects, using the algae Selenastrum capricornutum as a test organism. Stormwater and pond water from a catchment with light industry showed high levels of heavy m...

Not all heavy metals are toxic. Some at lower concentrations are essential to the physiological status of the organism. Under certain conditions, induced toxicity occurs when the heavy metals are in the form of cations which tends to bind to certain biomolecules, thus becoming toxic to organisms. In many industries, toxic heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn, are released mainly i...

Metal toxicity represents a significant public health concern and contributes to many toxic metal-exposure related diseases. In particular, toxic metals promote the oxidative stress in stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). EPCs that are presented in peripheral blood function to replenish aging damaged endothelial cells and play important role in the maintenance of vasculature and ...

Aging is often accompanied by cognitive impairments and influenced by oxidative status and chemical imbalances. Thus, this study was conducted to examine whether age-related cognitive deficit is associated with oxidative damage, especially with inhibition of the enzyme delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D), as well as to verify the influence of some metals in the enzyme activity and cogniti...

Wastewater treatment is still a critical issue all over the world. Among examined methods for the decontamination of wastewaters, adsorption is a promising, cheap, environmentally friendly and efficient procedure. There are various types of adsorbents that have been used to remove different pollutants such as agricultural waste, compost, nanomaterials, algae, etc., Chitin (poly-β-(1,4)-N-acetyl...

Trace metals are intrinsic, natural constituents of our environment. Apart from the natural sources, several anthropogenic ones also contribute to metal concentrations in the environment. Some of the anthropogenic sources of the metals in the environment are: mining, smelting, production and use of the compounds and materials containing the metals, burning of fossil fuels, waste dumping and lea...

Chelation therapy has long been regarded as a suitable approach to the therapeutic and even prophylactic removal of potentially toxic metals from body tissues. And there have been apparent successes in some areas, but there are also needs for a better understanding of the underlying pharmacology and for the development of safer and more effective agents. There are currently three areas of inter...

Hyphal growth responses of Geotrichum candidum, Gliocladium roseum, Humicola grisea and Trichoderma viride to Cu and Cd were studied using a simple tessellated agar tile system. Negative chemotropic behaviour of hyphae, which included curling and growth away from metal-containing domains, occurred in all species and with both metals. Both toxic metal and sucrose concentrations in the medium mod...

Environmental pollution has increased many folds in recent years and in some places has reached levels that are toxic to living things. Among pollutant types, toxic heavy metals and metalloids are among the chemicals that pose the highest threat to biological systems (Jjemba 2004). Unlike organic pollutants, which are biodegradable, heavy metals are not degraded into less hazardous end products...