TRACE-ELEMENTS - WHEN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS BECOME POISONOUS - SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

Although humans require daily intake of some trace elements, high leve ls of exposure can turn these elements interfere with optimum biologic activity. Most trace metals have no known pathologic consequences for healthy people exposed outside contaminated workplaces, although pois oning in acute exposure can occur. Acute poisoning incidents generally receive wide media attention and arouse public interest in trace elem ents as poisons. Lead aluminum, mercury, and cadmium have been linked with acute poisonings. Interpretation of trace elements is difficult b ecause of their unequal distribution in the environment as well as amo ng biologic compartments. Reference information also may vary among po pulations. Acute, high-level airborne exposures generally affect the l ungs, and long-term exposures at lower levels may result in harmful tr ace element accumulation in the liver and kidneys. This is the final a rticle in a three-part continuing education series on toxicology. Othe r articles focused om lead exposure and alcohol testing. The exam foll ows this article.