Current Awareness and Knowledge of Heavy Metals

Abstract

This review discusses public health hazards associated with environmental heavy metals, focusing on those that are especially toxic and persistent: lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc. Most of the discussion in this review is devoted to identifying potential routes of exposure and the potential health effects that these metals might pose. In addition, the effectiveness of educational programs is considered, together with demographic factors influencing public knowledge. The methodology includes a detailed literature review to highlight gaps in knowledge and the impacts of the education process. The preliminary findings show very limited knowledge among the public about the risks from toxic metals, especially among children and people working in the industrial sectors. Notwithstanding the aforementioned educational initiatives, there is still a greater need for further intervention strategies to increase awareness and ensure safety. Further, the review shows a lack of concerted efforts on strategies aimed at reducing heavy metal toxicity, including chelation therapy, phytoremediation, and advanced techniques like electro sorption and nanotechnology. The text further examines the efficacy of dietary selections and supplements as natural detoxification techniques that could assist the body in expelling these harmful substances. The study thus concludes emphatically that mitigating the risks of exposure to heavy metals requires increasing public awareness and education, imposing strict regulations on emissions from industries, and involving the community. Policymakers, educators, and health professionals must be unified on a single platform to spread awareness about effective remediation and natural detoxification methodologies. Heavy metals largely threaten human health and ecosystems, so the protection of human health and the maintenance of ecosystems require a comprehensive approach.