Bioavailability of Trace Metals

Abstract

Metals external to the organism are unlikely to cause any adverse effect in that organism but may do so once absorbed (or taken up) and assimilated. This implies that as a prelude step, metals have to come in contact with the organism to be of any benefit or consequence to that organism. In turn, metals have to be in a particular form to be able to enter an organism. In essence, for a contaminant to be assimilated, it will have to be mobile and transported and be bioavailable to the organism. Because bioavailability (also known as bioaccessibility) may have different meanings to different disciplines, it is prudent to define it according to the receptor organism.