Impact of heavy metal toxicity on the human health and environment

Heavy metals are among the major categories of pollutants that are widespread and have enormous potential to affect the environment and public health. Today, the toxicity of heavy metals has become a challenge since it is highly toxic and can accumulate in the body system. Heavy metal contamination results from various natural and anthropogenic activities that release these elements into the environment. Consequently, heavy metals contribute to multiple forms of environmental pollution and pose serious health risks to humans. This review seeks to give an understanding of the characteristics and toxicity of several heavy metals. Some of the physicochemical properties of heavy metals that give them their toxicity as well as the many ways that they can be introduced into the environment are described in the review. Other factors including the type of heavy metals, dose of exposure, route of exposure, duration of exposure, interaction with other chemicals, and environmental factors are further examined to establish the effects on the toxicity of heavy metals. In addition, the reviews also point to the impacts of these pollutants on water, plants, and human beings as regards ecotoxicological consequences. Last but not least, prospects to justify the novelty of diverse assessment and monitoring techniques for handling these contaminants have been presented. Thus, there are several opportunities to design strategies for mitigating the removal of such contaminants by combining the understanding of the toxicity of heavy metals. Overall, this review gives adequate information to researchers and academicians on the toxicity of heavy metals that can be used to design ways of opposing these pollutants and thus protecting the environment towards the development of a sustainable future.