Other metals

Question 1

describe arsenic forms, their relative tox, metabolism, acute toxicity manifestations of the forms; treatment

Answer 1

As3+>As5+»>organic; arsine gas–haemolytic poison–anemia; metabolism–>methylation;
acute tox of inorganic forms (As3/5)–> irritation of skin (dermatitis), resp (coughing), and GIT (vomiting, diarrhea);
liver, kidney damange, and neuro damage (crosses BBB);
acute tox of organic forms– only neuro damage– paralysis of the legs, tremors, and convulsions;
teratogenic; shows carcinogenecity in human lungs and skin; cocarcinogen via immunosuppression and impaired DNA repair;
treatment– BAL; also selenium, displaces As

Question 2

Aluminum absorption, distribution, excretion, toxicicty, and diseases in man

Answer 2

• 10% by phagocytosis; distributed throughout the body;–secreted in the feces as a phosphate complex and via liver/biliary;
• toxicity– decreases phosphate; decreased glucose abs (requires E); decreased ATP which required P
• decreases calmodulin
• affects resp–irritation leads to fibrosis and limited gas exchange
• CNS encephalopathy; behavioural changes, tremors, ataxia, and neurofibrilliary tangles
• diseases in man 1. dialysis dementia; 2. ALS (low Ca, Mg); Parkinson’s disease; 4. Alzheimer’s Disease–neurofibrillary tangles

Question 3

chromium forms, abs, dist, excretion, toxicity

Answer 3

Cr3+–essential element; glucose tolerance factor–increases glucose utilization/metabolism
Cr6+ – toxic element
Absorption– less than 1%
Distribution– hair, lung, livers, fetus
Excretion- 80% in the urine, some in the feces
toxicity– irritation (skin–dermatitis)
GIT ulcers,
skin–contact sensitivity–immune mediated effect
kidney–nephritis
liver–hepatitis
lung– asmtha, tumours

Question 4

uranium forms, toxicity, abs, dist, excr,

Answer 4

U6+ is toxic, and also have radiation toxicity– alpha particles;
abs– up to 100% in lungs–>lung cancer
oral– 10%
dist bone–95%
kidney
lungs
Excr kidneys
chemical toxicity, not radiation tox, targets kidney–U6+ changes permeability of cells in kidney
–necrosis in prox tubs and glomeruli basement membrane
a suspected carcinogen

Question 5

beryllium– clinical manifestations, treatment

Answer 5

skin– dermatities, ulceration
eyes–conjunctavitis, corneal ulcers – DTH reaction (immune)
lung – acute pneumonitis
chronic beryliosis
granulomatosis
CV secondary congestive heart failure
carcinogenic osteogenic sarcoma, bronchiogenic carcinoma
immune effects DTH, hapten
treatment–corticosteroids, suppress immune system

Question 6

nickel tox, critical organ, abs

Answer 6

critical organ = lung
tox-- skin      hypersensitive, nickel itchidermatitis
         GIT      gastroenteritis
        lung     pneuomonitis 
                     cancer
carcinogenesis-- altered DNA, RNA, DNA repair, block mRNA transcription;
also a cocarc, with PAHs
also affects spermatogenesis
orally absorbed

Question 7

Zinc–toxicity, abs, excr, metal interactions

Answer 7

interacts with Cd–always found together;
abs–10-80%
exr–GIT, 80%
toxicity – deficiency: dermatitis, emaciation (can’t synth proteins); reduced growth, testicular atrophy, immunosuppression
acute toxicity – relatively non toic, but causes GIT issues (vom, diarrhea, and cramps); CNS depression
causes metal fume fever–similar to malaria; chils, sweating, allergy type rxn, Zn-protein complex
irritation of lung and skin;
carcinogenic and teratogenic

Question 8

describe Na/salt poisoning

Answer 8

key feature–water deprivation; osmotic problem–increase blood and brain Na; with increased brain Na comes decreased anaerobic glycolysis (removes Na); decreases ATP, reduced active transport;
water moves into the brain to balance out osmotic gradient– brain swelling, pressure, CNS manifestations
pathology–edema, eosinphilic meningoencephalitis
treatment– restore water slowly (6-8 hours)

Question 9

Li abs, dist, excr, toxic manifestations

Answer 9

similar to Na--abs through GIT, dist>, excr--renal
toxic manifestations
   CNS      ataxia, tremors
   CV         hypertension, arrhythmia,
    GIT     irritation, hypoglycemia

Question 10

Arsenic toxicity?

Answer 10

As3/5 –> irritation (skin, dermatitis, esp, coughing, git, vomiting, diarrhea);
As3/5– causes kidney, liver, an neuro damage (crosses BBB)
organic: only neuro damage–paralysis of the legs, tremors, convulsions
teratogenic; shows carcinogenecity in human lungs and skin; cocarcinogen via immunosuppression and impaired DNA repair;

Question 11

Aluminum toxicity

Answer 11

depletes body of P; can’t make ATP–>glucose synth decreased;
decreases calmodulin
cause resp issues (fibrosis)
-CNS encephalopathy; behavioural changes, tremors, ataxia, and NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES

Question 12

Chromium tox

Answer 12

liver hepatitis, kidney nephritis
skin, hypersensitivity and dermatitis;
GIT ulcers
lung–asthma, tumours

Question 13

uranium tox

Answer 13

kidney glom basement membrane death
necrosis of kidney tubules
lung cancer?

Question 14

beryllium toxicity

Answer 14

skin--hypersensitivity
eyes--conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers (DTH reaction)
granulomatosis (alveoli bloackage)
berylliosis
CV secondary congestive heart failure
bronchiogenic carcinoma
osteogenic sarcoma

Question 15

nickel tox

Answer 15

ni itchidermatitis, skin hypersensitivity?
blocks mRNA transcription, alters DNA, RNA, DNA repair
GIT–gastroenteritis
lung–pneumonitis, cancer
affects spematogenesis, cocarc with PAH

Question 16

zinc toxicity

Answer 16

deficiency– emaciation, repressed growth, testicular atrophy, immunosuppresion
toxicity– not too toxic; GIT issues (vom, diarrhea)
metal fume fever–allergy-type rxn, malaria-like, sweating, chills, etc
irritation of lung and skin
carcino- and teratogenic