Understanding heavy metal toxicity: Implications on human health, marine ecosystems and bioremediation strategies

Abstract

Heavy metals are constituents of the natural environment and are of great importance to both natural and artificial processes. But in recent times the indiscriminate use of heavy metals especially for human purposes has caused an imbalance in natural geochemical cycles. This imbalance has caused contamination of heavy metals into natural resources and such as soil and a marine ecosystem. Long exposure and higher accumulation of given heavy metals are known to impose detrimental and even lethal effects on humans. Conventional remediation techniques of heavy metals provide good results but have negative side effects on surrounding environment. The role played by microbes in bioremediation of heavy metals is well reported in the literature and understanding the role of molecules in the process of metal accumulation its reduction and transformation into less hazardous state, has myriads of biotechnological implications for bioremediation of metal-contaminated sites. The current review presents the implications of heavy metals on human health and marine ecosystems, conventional methods of heavy metal removal and their side effects on the environment. Bioremediation approaches have been discussed as well in this review, proving to be a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach towards remediation of heavy metals.