ABSTRACT:
Heavy metals are well-known environmental pollutants owing to their toxicity, longevity in the atmosphere, and ability to accumulate in the human body via bioaccumulation. Many heavy metals, such as Cadmium, Lead, Arsenic, Selenium, Cobalt, Iron, Chromium, Aluminium, Thallium Sulphate, Mercury, and Nickel, are currently found in the environment in significant concentrations and pose a serious threat to the ecosystem worldwide. The environmental chain of heavy metal contamination—which includes industry, the atmosphere, soil, water, food, and human beings—always follows a cyclical pattern. Since it is evident that modest amounts of heavy metal and metalloid exposure over time lead to negative consequences. It has been shown that heavy metals are harmful to human health. Metal toxicity can occur in various illnesses and excessive damage owing to oxidative stress generated by free radical generation. It is dependent on the dose absorbed, the route of exposure, and the length of the exposure. The specific gravity of heavy metals is at least five times greater than that of water. There are several ways that heavy metals may enter the human body, including through contaminated food, drink, skin, and inhalation. They have a significant negative influence on humans and can lead to several issues, including genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and skin and cardiovascular toxicity. They harm both male and female reproductive health and induce a variety of cancers, which can result in infertility. The present study focuses on various heavy metals and their effect on human health along with the source of contamination with the help of a case study of Scissors manufacturing industries in Meerut city. The data revealed that 50%-100% of the workers were suffering from lung disease.