Heavy metals in food crops: Health risks, fate, mechanisms, and management. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rai, Prabhat Kumar; Lee, Sang Soo; Zhang, Ming; Tsang, Yiu Fai; Kim, Ki-Hyun
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 125(2019)
• Page Start: 365
• Page End: 385
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Heavy metals -- Health risks -- Wastewater -- Nanoparticles -- Vegetables -- Eco-remediation; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.067
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: Food security is a high-priority issue for sustainable global development both quantitatively and qualitatively. In recent decades, adverse effects of unexpected contaminants on crop quality have threatened both food security and human health. Heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., Hg, As, Pb, Cd, and Cr) can disturb human metabolomics, contributing to morbidity and even mortality. Therefore, this review focuses on and describes heavy metal contamination in soil–food crop subsystems with respect to human health risks. It also explores the possible geographical pathways of heavy metals in such subsystems. In-depth discussion is further offered on physiological/molecular translocation mechanisms involved in the uptake of metallic contaminants inside food crops. Finally, management strategies are proposed to regain sustainability in soil–food subsystems. Highlights: Heavy metal pollution has perturbed the environment to pose serious health hazards. Therefore, the diverse and emerging issues of food security have become a global concern. A better understanding on the soil-food crop transfer mechanisms is prerequisite for remediation. This review provides a general view on the global geographical pattern of heavy metal sources. The review discusses state-of-the-art remediation approaches to manage soil metal pollution.