ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the bioactivities and toxicities of the different species of toxic heavy metal ions, and discusses the different species of the toxic heavy metals. Metal ions are essential components of biological systems; nevertheless, even essential elements may have toxic or carcinogenic properties. The toxicities of metal ion species depend on the age and sex of the human. To know the exact toxicities of different metallic species, it is very important to understand the biotransformation of metal ions. Carbon dioxide produced from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid biodegradation was monitored by acidification of the culture medium and analysis of the carbon dioxide concentration in the reactor headspace. Metal ions are the main component of the biological system, as they are found in all organisms ranging from microbes to human beings. Among the natural environment’s chemical control indicators, heavy metals occupy a particularly important place, as they are the most toxic chemical elements.
