1.5 Summary
17
metals are quintessential in maintaining various biochemical and physiological functions in living organisms, however, when certain threshold concentrations exceed,
they become noxious.
Heavy metals have various routes of entry into the marine environment including
industrial wastewater discharge; storm water runoff, agricultural activities, dredging
activities, atmospheric deposition and sewage discharge.
Heavy metals have been observed as continuous additions to the marine environment; non-biodegradable; persistent and toxic and do not get broken down by
bacterial action. In presence of acidic mediums, the toxicity of the heavy metals
increases. This has led to serious ecotoxicological problems for marine species.
Metal speciation influences the bioavailability and toxicity of the heavy metals
to the aquatic biota. Metal ions can form complexes with organic and inorganic
ligands as well as colloidal species and enter living biota via processes like sorption
or biological uptake.
References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2000) Toxicological profile for
Arsenic TP-92/09. Georgia: Center for Disease Control, Atlanta. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tox
profiles/tp2.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2005) Toxicological profile for tin
and compounds. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp55.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (2007) Toxicological profile for
Arsenic. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp2.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2011) Toxicology profile for arsenic.
TP-92/09. Center for Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry;
Atlanta, GA
Agency for toxic substances and disease registry (ATSDR) (2017) Lead toxicity. https://www.atsdr.
cdc.gov
Akan JC, Abdurrahman FI, Sodipo OA, Ochanya AE, Askira YK (2010) Heavy metals in sediments
from River Ngada, Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. J Environ Chem Ecotoxicol
2:131–140
Alexander DE (1999) Bioaccumulation, bioconcentration, biomagnification. Environ Geol Encycl
Earth Sci: 43–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_31
Al-Rousan S (2012) Skeletal extension rate of the reef building coral Porites species from Aqaba
and their environmental variables. Nat Sci 4(9):731–739
Al-Rousan SA, Al-Shoul RN, Al-Horani FA, Abu-Hilal AH (2007) Heavy metal contents in growth
bands of Porites corals. Record of anthropogenic and human developments from the Jordanian
Gulf of Aqaba. Mar Pollut Bull 54:1912–1922
ANZECC & ARMCANZ (Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council &
Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (2016) Default
guideline values for toxicants: manganese-marine water (DRAFT). Revision to the Australian and
New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality. Australian Department of Agriculture
and Water Resources, Canberra. Unpublished, p 17
Ansari TM, Marr IL, Tariq N (2004) Heavy metals in marine pollution perspective—a mini review.
J Appl Sci 4(1):1–20
17
metals are quintessential in maintaining various biochemical and physiological functions in living organisms, however, when certain threshold concentrations exceed,
they become noxious.
Heavy metals have various routes of entry into the marine environment including
industrial wastewater discharge; storm water runoff, agricultural activities, dredging
activities, atmospheric deposition and sewage discharge.
Heavy metals have been observed as continuous additions to the marine environment; non-biodegradable; persistent and toxic and do not get broken down by
bacterial action. In presence of acidic mediums, the toxicity of the heavy metals
increases. This has led to serious ecotoxicological problems for marine species.
Metal speciation influences the bioavailability and toxicity of the heavy metals
to the aquatic biota. Metal ions can form complexes with organic and inorganic
ligands as well as colloidal species and enter living biota via processes like sorption
or biological uptake.
References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2000) Toxicological profile for
Arsenic TP-92/09. Georgia: Center for Disease Control, Atlanta. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tox
profiles/tp2.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2005) Toxicological profile for tin
and compounds. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp55.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (2007) Toxicological profile for
Arsenic. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp2.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2011) Toxicology profile for arsenic.
TP-92/09. Center for Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry;
Atlanta, GA
Agency for toxic substances and disease registry (ATSDR) (2017) Lead toxicity. https://www.atsdr.
cdc.gov
Akan JC, Abdurrahman FI, Sodipo OA, Ochanya AE, Askira YK (2010) Heavy metals in sediments
from River Ngada, Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. J Environ Chem Ecotoxicol
2:131–140
Alexander DE (1999) Bioaccumulation, bioconcentration, biomagnification. Environ Geol Encycl
Earth Sci: 43–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_31
Al-Rousan S (2012) Skeletal extension rate of the reef building coral Porites species from Aqaba
and their environmental variables. Nat Sci 4(9):731–739
Al-Rousan SA, Al-Shoul RN, Al-Horani FA, Abu-Hilal AH (2007) Heavy metal contents in growth
bands of Porites corals. Record of anthropogenic and human developments from the Jordanian
Gulf of Aqaba. Mar Pollut Bull 54:1912–1922
ANZECC & ARMCANZ (Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council &
Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (2016) Default
guideline values for toxicants: manganese-marine water (DRAFT). Revision to the Australian and
New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality. Australian Department of Agriculture
and Water Resources, Canberra. Unpublished, p 17
Ansari TM, Marr IL, Tariq N (2004) Heavy metals in marine pollution perspective—a mini review.
J Appl Sci 4(1):1–20