ABSTRACT
Ever since the realization by the early hominids that metals can be crafted, manipulated, and exploited for survival, the societal and, soon to follow industrial, applications of metals became limitless. Today all metals have some usefulness, some of which are indispensable for our modern sociological and industrial needs, while some have mostly intrinsic value (e.g., gold). Consequently, metals in their pure form or combined with other compatible ingredients as alloys have applications as diverse as fine jewelry and plating industries to the building, health care, manufacturing, and electronic industries. The relevance and utility of the individual metals, with respect to their toxicological potential, are discussed later.
