Topic: Heavy Metal(loid)s exposure and their adverse effects on Human Health

Heavy metal pollution is a globally recognized environmental issue, threatening human health. The increasing population and rising food demands contribute to the excessive release of various metal(loid)s into the environment, e.g., soil and water, which subsequently contaminate food crops. The adverse effects of exposure to these contaminants on human health often depend on the speciation of metal(loid)s. Therefore, speciation assessment of metal(loid)s in soils, food plants, human body fluid, hair, nails, and other associated biological tissues is pivotal to understanding key aspects of heavy metals'  health risks, including their bioavailability, species-specific toxicity, and various biological responses. Knowledge of speciation is crucial for defining risk assessment of toxic metals and their excretion from the human body in cases of overexposure. Elucidation of the composition and speciation of metal(loid)s will help scientists to accurately assess their human health risks and detrimental effects. Consequently, this research topic aims to explore state-of-the-art techniques and methods for speciation analysis within environmental and biological matrices relevant to human exposure and associated health impacts.

All submissions MUST consider the implications for human and/or wildlife exposure to contaminants. Please refer to the Aims and Scope of JEEA for further guidance.

Heavy metal(loid)s, speciation analysis, bioaccessibility and bioavailability, health risks assessment, cytotoxicity

30 Jun 2025