Residual concentrations of some trace elements and lightweight metals, including cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, zinc, nickel, chromium, arsenic, gallium, indium, gold, cobalt, polonium, and thallium, are widely detected in aquatic ecosystems globally. Although their origin may be natural, human activities significantly elevate their environmental concentrations. Metals, renowned pollutants, threaten various organisms, particularly crustaceans. Due to their feeding habits and habitat, crustaceans are highly exposed to contaminants and are considered a crucial link in xenobiotic transfer through the food chain. Moreover, crustaceans absorb metals via their gills, crucial pathways for metal uptake in water. This review summarises the adverse effects of well-studied metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Zn, Ni, Cr, As, Co) and synthesizes knowledge on the toxicity of less-studied metals (Ag, Ga, In, Au, Pl, Tl), their presence in waters, and impact on crustaceans. Bibliometric analysis underscores the significance of this topic. In general, the toxic effects of the examined metals can decrease survival rates by inducing oxidative stress, disrupting biochemical balance, causing histological damage, interfering with endocrine gland function, and inducing cytotoxicity. Metal exposure can also result in genotoxicity, reduced reproduction, and mortality. Despite current toxicity knowledge, there remains a research gap in this field, particularly concerning the toxicity of rare earth metals, presenting a potential future challenge.

• Klíčová slova
• Crustaceans, Environmental Contaminants, Micropollutants, Toxicity,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• korýši * účinky léků   MeSH
• kovy * toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• těžké kovy toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• kovy * MeSH
• těžké kovy MeSH

Metal toxicity in plants is still a global problem for the environment, agriculture and ultimately human health. This review initially addresses the current state of the environmental/agricultural problem, and then discusses in detail the occurrence, mechanisms and relevance of toxicity of selected trace metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, and Zn). When discussing the mechanisms, special emphasis is laid on a critical review of their environmental/agricultural relevance, because even now many studies in this field of research are performed under highly artificial lab conditions. The main problems outlined in published studies are artificially high metal concentrations (which never occur even in highly polluted sites) combined with too short treatment times, as well as environmentally and agriculturally irrelevant growth conditions (e.g. constant light and submerged cultivation of seedlings). Furthermore, wherever possible an attempt is made to link the mechanisms published to date in terms of discussing which mechanisms are a direct cause of the observed disturbance of plant function and which are rather a consequence of the primary mechanisms, leading to a complicated toxicity phenotype and ultimately to diminished growth or even death of the plants.

• MeSH
• ionty MeSH
• kovy toxicita   MeSH
• oxidace-redukce účinky léků   MeSH
• rostliny účinky léků   MeSH
• životní prostředí MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ionty MeSH
• kovy MeSH

The maintenance of ion homeostasis in plant cells is a fundamental physiological requirement for sustainable plant growth, development and production. Plants exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals must respond in order to avoid the deleterious effects of heavy metal toxicity at the structural, physiological and molecular levels. Plant strategies for coping with heavy metal toxicity are genotype-specific and, at least to some extent, modulated by environmental conditions. There is considerable interest in the mechanisms underpinning plant metal tolerance, a complex process that enables plants to survive metal ion stress and adapt to maintain growth and development without exhibiting symptoms of toxicity. This review briefly summarizes some recent cell biological, molecular and proteomic findings concerning the responses of plant roots to heavy metal ions in the rhizosphere, metal ion-induced reactions at the cell wall-plasma membrane interface, and various aspects of heavy metal ion uptake and transport in plants via membrane transporters. The molecular and genetic approaches that are discussed are analyzed in the context of their potential practical applications in biotechnological approaches for engineering increased heavy metal tolerance in crops and other useful plants.

• Klíčová slova
• Biotechnology, Crops, Heavy metal, Heavy metal toxicity, Ion transport, Plant, Protein, Proteomics, Stress tolerance,
• MeSH
• biotechnologie * MeSH
• fyziologická adaptace * MeSH
• fyziologický stres MeSH
• fyziologie rostlin * MeSH
• otrava těžkými kovy * MeSH
• otrava * MeSH
• rostliny * účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The paradigm of using metal biomaterials could be viewed from two sides - treatment of wide spectrum of degenerative diseases, and debris release from materials. After implant insertion, metal nanoparticles (NPs) and ions are released not only upon the first contact with cells/tissues, but in continual manner, which is immediately recognized by immune cells. In this work, the effects of metal nanoparticles (TiO2, Ni) and ions (Ni2+, Co2+, Cr3+, Mo6+) on primary human M0 macrophages from the blood samples of osteoarthritic patients undergoing total arthroplasty were studied in order to monitor immunomodulatory effects on the cells in a real-time format. The highest NiNPs concentration of 10 µg/ml had no effect on any of macrophage parameters, while the Ni2+ ions cytotoxicity limit for the cells is 0.5 mM. The cytotoxic effects of higher Ni2+ concentration revealed mitochondrial network fragmentation leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, accompanied by increased lysosomal activity and changes in pro-apoptotic markers. The suppression of M2 cell formation ability was connected to presence of Ni2+ ions (0.5 mM) and TiO2NPs (10 µg/ml). The immunomodulatory effect of Mo6+ ions, controversially, inhibit the formation of the cells with M1 phenotype and potentiate the thread-like shape M2s with increased chaotic cell movement. To summarize, metal toxicity depends on the debris form. Both, metal ions and nanoparticles affect macrophage size, morphological and functional parameters, but the effect of ions is more complex and likely more harmful, which has potential impact on healing and determines post-implantation reactions.

• Klíčová slova
• Implant debris, Macrophage, Metal ions, Metal toxicity, Nanoparticles, Polarization,
• MeSH
• ionty MeSH
• kovové nanočástice * MeSH
• kovy * farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• makrofágy MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ionty MeSH
• kovy * MeSH

The use of nanoscaled materials is rapidly increasing, however, their possible ecotoxicological effects are still not precisely known. This work constitutes the first complex study focused on in vivo evaluation of the acute and chronic toxic effects and toxic limits of silver nanoparticles (NPs) on the eukaryotic organism Drosophila melanogaster. For the purpose of this study, silver NPs were prepared in the form of solid dispersion using microencapsulation method, where mannitol was used as an encapsulation agent. This newly prepared solid dispersion with a high concentration of silver NPs was exploited to prepare the standard Drosophila culture medium at a silver concentration range from 10 mg·L(-1) to 100 mg·L(-1) of Ag in the case of the acute toxicity testing and at a concentration equal to 5 mg·L(-1) in the case of the chronic toxicity testing. The acute toxic effect of silver NPs on Drosophila melanogaster was observed for the silver concentration equal to 20 mg·L(-1). At this silver concentration, 50% of the tested flies were unable to leave the pupae, and they did not finish their developmental cycle. Chronic toxicity of silver NPs was assessed by a long-term exposure of overall eight filial generations of Drosophila melanogaster to silver NPs. The long-term exposure to silver NPs influenced the fertility of Drosophila during the first three filial generations, nevertheless the fecundity of flies in subsequent generations consequently increased up to the level of the flies from the control sample due to the adaptability of flies to the silver NPs exposure.

• MeSH
• Drosophila melanogaster účinky léků   MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• fertilita účinky léků   MeSH
• kovové nanočástice toxicita   MeSH
• kukla účinky léků   MeSH
• larva účinky léků   MeSH
• stříbro toxicita   MeSH
• testy akutní toxicity MeSH
• testy chronické toxicity MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• stříbro MeSH

Heavy metal(loid) rich ash (≤10,000 mg kg-1 total As, Cr, Cu and Zn) originating from the combustion of contaminated wood was subjected to several experimental procedures involving its incorporation into an upland pasture soil. Ash was added to soil that had been prior amended with local cattle manure, replicating practices employed at the farm scale. Metal(loid) concentrations were measured in soil pore water and ryegrass grown on soil/manure plus ash mixtures (0.1-3.0% vol. ash) in a pot experiment; toxicity evaluation was performed on the same pore water samples by means of a bacterial luminescence biosensor assay. Thereafter a sequential extraction procedure was carried out on selected soil, manure and ash mixtures to elucidate the geochemical association of ash derived metal(loid)s with soil constituents. Predictive modelling was applied to selected data from the pot experiment to determine the risk of transfer of As to meat and milk products in cattle grazing pasture amended with ash. The inclusion of manure to soils receiving ash reduced phyto-toxicity and increased ryegrass biomass yields, compared to soil with ash, but without manure. Elevated As and Cu concentrations in pore water and ryegrass tissue resulting from ash additions were reduced furthest by the inclusion of manure due to an increase in their geochemical association with organic matter. Zinc was the only measured metal(loid) to remain uniformly soluble and bioavailable regardless of the addition of ash and manure. Risk modelling on pot experimental data highlighted that an ash addition of >1% (vol.) to this pasture soil could result in As concentrations in milk and meat products exceeding acceptable limits. The results of this study therefore suggest that even singular low doses of ash applied to soil increase the risk of leaching of metal(loid)s and intensify the risk of As transfer in the food chain.

• Klíčová slova
• Arsenic, Chromium, Heavy metal toxicity, Pore water, Risk modelling, Wood ash,
• MeSH
• arsen analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dřevo chemie   MeSH
• hnůj MeSH
• jílek růst a vývoj   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• pastviny * MeSH
• popel uhelný chemie   MeSH
• půda chemie   normy   MeSH
• skot MeSH
• těžké kovy analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• skot MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• arsen MeSH
• hnůj MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• popel uhelný MeSH
• půda MeSH
• těžké kovy MeSH

Wood is one of the extensively used goods on the earth due to its large accessibility and usage in a wide range of human life. When woods are exposed to aquatic media, leachates are generated which may affect the quality of water and damage aquatic life into which they are discharged. This research seeks to evaluate the toxicity of linden (Tilia cordata), larch (Larix decidua) from the Czech Republic, cedrela (Cedrela odorata) and emire (Terminalia ivorensis) from Ghana wood leachates to two aquatic organisms (Desmodesmus subspicatus and Lemna minor). In algal and duckweed toxicity tests, these plants were exposed to different concentrations of wood leachate with nutrient medium creating concentration rates, 20, 30, 45, 67, and 100% v/v. High concentration of phenols and heavy metals may have contributed to toxicity. It was observed that the various wood leachates were inhibitory to the growth rate of algae and duckweed with emire exhibiting the highest toxicity with IC50 of 30.04% and 28.58% and larch the lowest toxicity with IC50 of 51.18% and 49.57% in relation to growth rate and chlorophyll respectively, hence indicating confirmed and potential toxicity of the various wood leachates to the aquatic organisms.

• Klíčová slova
• Aquatic organism, Aquatic plants, Ecotoxicity, Inhibition, Leachate, Wood,
• MeSH
• Araceae * MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * toxicita   MeSH
• dřevo MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• testy toxicity MeSH
• těžké kovy * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• těžké kovy * MeSH

Some metal nanoparticles (NP) are characterized by antimicrobial properties with the potential to be used as alternative antibiotics. However, NP may negatively impact human organism, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), a cell population contributing to tissue growth and regeneration. To address these issues, we investigated the toxic effects of selected NP (Ag, ZnO, and CuO) in mouse MSC. MSC were treated with various doses of NP for 4 h, 24 h, and 48 h and multiple endpoints were analyzed. Reactive oxygen species were generated after 48 h CuO NP exposure. Lipid peroxidation was induced after 4 h and 24 h treatment, regardless of NP and/or tested dose. DNA fragmentation and oxidation induced by Ag NP showed dose responses for all the periods. For other NP, the effects were observed for shorter exposure times. The impact on the frequency of micronuclei was weak. All the tested NP increased the sensitivity of MSC to apoptosis. The cell cycle was most affected after 24 h, particularly for Ag NP treatment. In summary, the tested NP induced numerous adverse changes in MSC. These results should be taken into consideration when planning the use of NP in medical applications where MSC are involved.

• Klíčová slova
• antimicrobial properties, mesenchymal stem cells, metal nanoparticles, toxicity,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Heavy metals are naturally occurring components of the Earth's crust and persistent environmental pollutants. Human exposure to heavy metals occurs via various pathways, including inhalation of air/dust particles, ingesting contaminated water or soil, or through the food chain. Their bioaccumulation may lead to diverse toxic effects affecting different body tissues and organ systems. The toxicity of heavy metals depends on the properties of the given metal, dose, route, duration of exposure (acute or chronic), and extent of bioaccumulation. The detrimental impacts of heavy metals on human health are largely linked to their capacity to interfere with antioxidant defense mechanisms, primarily through their interaction with intracellular glutathione (GSH) or sulfhydryl groups (R-SH) of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and other enzyme systems. Although arsenic (As) is believed to bind directly to critical thiols, alternative hydrogen peroxide production processes have also been postulated. Heavy metals are known to interfere with signaling pathways and affect a variety of cellular processes, including cell growth, proliferation, survival, metabolism, and apoptosis. For example, cadmium can affect the BLC-2 family of proteins involved in mitochondrial death via the overexpression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and the suppression of proapoptotic (BAX, BAK) mechanisms, thus increasing the resistance of various cells to undergo malignant transformation. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important regulator of antioxidant enzymes, the level of oxidative stress, and cellular resistance to oxidants and has been shown to act as a double-edged sword in response to arsenic-induced oxidative stress. Another mechanism of significant health threats and heavy metal (e.g., Pb) toxicity involves the substitution of essential metals (e.g., calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe)) with structurally similar heavy metals (e.g., cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)) in the metal-binding sites of proteins. Displaced essential redox metals (copper, iron, manganese) from their natural metal-binding sites can catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide via the Fenton reaction and generate damaging ROS such as hydroxyl radicals, causing damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA. Conversely, some heavy metals, such as cadmium, can suppress the synthesis of nitric oxide radical (NO·), manifested by altered vasorelaxation and, consequently, blood pressure regulation. Pb-induced oxidative stress has been shown to be indirectly responsible for the depletion of nitric oxide due to its interaction with superoxide radical (O2·-), resulting in the formation of a potent biological oxidant, peroxynitrite (ONOO-). This review comprehensively discusses the mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity and their health effects. Aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and chromium (Cr) and their roles in the development of gastrointestinal, pulmonary, kidney, reproductive, neurodegenerative (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases), cardiovascular, and cancer (e.g. renal, lung, skin, stomach) diseases are discussed. A short account is devoted to the detoxification of heavy metals by chelation via the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dimercaprol (BAL), 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 2,3-dimercapto-1-propane sulfonic acid (DMPS), and penicillamine chelators.

• Klíčová slova
• Antioxidant enzymes, Heavy metals, Human disease, Oxidative stress, ROS, Toxicity,
• MeSH
• antioxidancia metabolismus   MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * toxicita   farmakokinetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• otrava těžkými kovy MeSH
• oxidační stres účinky léků   MeSH
• těžké kovy * toxicita   farmakokinetika   MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antioxidancia MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * MeSH
• těžké kovy * MeSH

Nanomaterials in agriculture are becoming popular due to the impressive advantages of these particles. However, their bioavailability and toxicity are key features for their massive employment. Herein, we comprehensively summarize the latest findings on the phytotoxicity of nanomaterial products based on essential metals used in plant protection. The metal nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from essential metals belong to the most commonly manufactured types of nanomaterials since they have unique physical and chemical properties and are used in agricultural and biotechnological applications, which are discussed. The paper discusses the interactions of nanomaterials and vascular plants, which are the subject of intensive research because plants closely interact with soil, water, and atmosphere; they are also part of the food chain. Regarding the accumulation of NPs in the plant body, their quantification and localization is still very unclear and further research in this area is necessary.

• Klíčová slova
• Agriculture, Essential metal nanoparticles, Fertilizers, Nanomaterials, Nanoparticles uptake, Phytotoxicity,
• MeSH
• fyziologie rostlin účinky léků   MeSH
• kovové nanočástice chemie   toxicita   MeSH
• kovy chemie   metabolismus   toxicita   MeSH
• nanotechnologie * metody   MeSH
• rostliny účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• testy toxicity metody   MeSH
• zemědělství * metody   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kovy MeSH