Bioavailability of Metals in the Soil Plant Environment and its Potential Role in Risk Assessment

Metal contamination of soil environments and the assessment of its po­ tential risk to terrestrial and aquatic biota and public health is one of the most challenging tasks confronting scientists today. This is partly due to the plethora of soil biochemical and physical processes controlling the fate of metals and partly because of the difficulty associated with the assessment of their availability. A credible method for the assessment of "bioavailability" of metals and other contaminants is lacking.