Cellular Effects of Heavy Metals

Abstract

The book starts with the brief review of chapters. In this chapter heavy metals have been redefined as those trace elements that have ≥ 3 g/cm3 densities and may cause harmful biological effects. The chapter arrived to this definition by clarifying first the light elements on the basis of their electronic configurations and compatibility with those of bioelements (CHNOPS group) in constructing biomol- ecules. As compatibility criteria the chemical bond formation between s–p electrons and p–p electrons were taken, allowing the tetrahedral three dimensional construction of biological compounds with four bonding partners. The compatibility range ended at 1s22s22p63s23p64s2 electronic configuration corresponding to calcium, which is the 20th element in the periodic table. From element 21 (Sc) the wide range of redox behavior, high reactivity, rich coordination chemistry and complex formation of tran- sition metals is due to the outher d and f electron subshells and explain their important catalytic role in enzyme reactions and toxicity at higher cellular concentrations. The chapter describes the most important cellular effects of heavy metals. The advantages of changing from in vivo to in vitro cellular systems have been pointed out. The methods for the detection and determination of heavy metals in cells are summarized.