Occupational exposure to heavy metals: A review of health outcomes and safety interventions
Abstract
Occupational exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic remains a major global health problem, causing significant morbidity despite decades of regulation. Therefore, it is interest to narrative review data on the pathophysiology, clinical effects and diagnostic biomarkers associated with these exposures. Oxidative stress, enzyme inhibition and ionic mimicry explains the widespread neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, cardiovascular and carcinogenic outcomes. Preventive strategies, including engineering controls and rigorous biomonitoring, are evaluated alongside therapeutic options such as chelation. Thus, protecting worker health requires prioritizing primary prevention and strengthening protocols to reduce exposure at its source.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
Chromium effects and bioremediation
Arsenic contamination and mitigation
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Bioinformation
- Publisher
- Biomedical Informatics
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 547–552
- Publication date
- 31 January 2026
- Language
- EN