METAIS PESADOS E SEUS EFEITOS NA SAÚDE HUMANA: REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Heavy metals are elements found in the environment by both natural processes and human activities, some are essential for the body such as iron, copper and zinc, while others, such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic, are toxic and can cause serious damage to health, even at low concentrations or in prolonged exhibitions. Exposure to these metals occurs by ingestion, inhalation or contact, leading to accumulation in organs such as liver, kidneys and brain, with varied toxic effects according to metal and exposure. As for heavy metal detection techniques, AAS is an effective analytical technique for the detection of metals at moderate concentrations, with versions that vary in sensitivity and cost, such as flame and graphite oven AAS. ICP-MS offers high sensitivity and multielement capacity, ideal for detailed analyses in various samples. ICP-OES is robust and allows simultaneous analysis of multiple elements, being useful in environmental monitoring and quality control. Portable sensors, in turn, represent an advance in the monitoring of heavy metals, enabling rapid and accurate analysis in the place of collection. As for exposure biomarkers, that is, the biological parameters that indicate the presence and level of these metals in the body, as well as the chemical form of metal, are obtained through samples such as blood, urine, hair and nails. Thus, growing environmental contamination requires monitoring, decontamination and public policies to reduce exposure. Therefore, this review aims to examine the toxicity and methods of detection of major heavy metals.