A Review on Non-essential Heavy Metals: Their Bioaccumulation and Bioremediation

Enormous rise in human subjection to heavy metals has been brought about by the industrial campaigns of the previous century. The most familiar heavy metals to bring about human poisonings have been Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), and Aluminium (Al). Here, we have reviewed the bioaccumulation, mechanism of action of toxicity and remediation of the non-essential heavy metals. These non-essential Heavy metals are bioaccumulated in the body, with a variety of noxious effects on different human tissues and organs. Heavy metals have an impact on the effects of apoptosis, differentiation, cellular growth, division and other biological functions. Mechanisms of action also reveal similar ways in which these metals cause toxicity, including ROS production, reduced antioxidant shielding, enzyme dismissal and oxidative stress. However, heavy metals are steady in the environment and do not biodegrade, so remediation is therefore necessary to both prevent heavy metal leaching or mobilization into environmental components and to make their extraction easier. Metal pollutants can be used by microbes as an energy source to change them into less harmful forms. Metal detoxification through bioremediation and phytoremediation using microorganisms and plants is effective, economical, and environmentally beneficial.