Metals, Health and the Environment – Emergence of Correlations Between Speciation and Effects

David R Williams

doi:10.1155/s1565363304000196

Abstract

Over the last half-century both the identification of the causes of diseases and the use of inorganic compounds to treat such conditions have been considerably enlightened through our emerging capabilities to identify the pivotal chemical species involved. The ‘duty of care’ placed upon scientists to protect the environment from manufactured chemicals and to limit their effects upon humans therefrom is best realised from a speciation knowledge database. This paper discusses categorising chemicals in terms of their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicities and uses speciation information to optimise desirable effects of chemicals in several applications such as the manufacture of pulp for paper and in the foliar nutrition of crops. Simultaneously, the chemical wasting side effects of industrial overdosing is easily avoided if speciation approaches are used. The move towards new environmentally friendly ligand agents is described and methods of finding substitute agents (often combinations of two or more chemicals) to replace nonbiodegradable EDTA. The geosphere migration of metals through the environment is discussed in terms of speciation. Future objectives discussed include improved means of communicating speciation-based recommendations to decision makers.

Highlights

Multinational agencies such as the EU and the OECD are focussing upon new means of chemical analysis which identify and reduce hazards to the health of their citizens and enables risk reduction management
A more cautious approach is used with inorganic agents since the elements do not bio-degrade per se but do change their bonding, and sometimes oxidation states, to give another species /3/
This paper describes progress as seen from the viewpoint of chemicals in the UK which closely reflects the EU position, and shows how chemical speciation answers many current problems/8/

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Multinational agencies such as the EU and the OECD are focussing upon new means of chemical analysis which identify and reduce hazards to the health of their citizens and enables risk reduction management. A more cautious approach is used with inorganic agents since the elements do not bio-degrade per se but do change their bonding, and sometimes oxidation states, to give another species /3/. The fact that such bonding exchanges are frequently labile in the environment, in. Health and the Environment-Emergence ofCotv’elations Between Speciation and Effects humans, and in healthcare, has not been widely understood by non-chemistry scientists even though Sill6n et al commenced this re-education process for geologists in the 1950-60s/4/. The lability, inertness and speciation composition ground rules became encompassed into the emerging subject of bio-inorganic chemistry which considered the influence of metal-containing chemical species upon the environment and upon health/5,6/. This paper describes progress as seen from the viewpoint of chemicals in the UK which closely reflects the EU position, and shows how chemical speciation answers many current problems/8/

RESULTS

Findings

CONCLUSIONS