Preface

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that accumulate in the environment primarily because of anthropogenic activities. Humans come into contact with these elements via occupational exposure and food consumption. These substances can have toxic effects on one's health and wellbeing.

The book contains thirteen chapters that provide basic information on heavy metals and their effects on the environment. The chapters are organized into three sections. The first section, "Heavy Metals and Their Effects on the Environment," includes seven chapters.

Chapter 1: "Heavy Metal's Environmental Impact"

Chapter 2: "Toxicity of Heavy Metals"

Chapter 3: "Influence of Heavy Metals on Quality of Raw Materials, Animal Products, and Human and Animal Health Status"

Chapter 4: "Heavy Metal Contamination of Food Crops: Transportation via Food Chain, Human Consumption, Toxicity and Management Strategies"

Chapter 5: "Soil-Skeleton and Soil-Water Heavy Metal Contamination by Finite Element Modelling with Freundlich Isotherm Adsorption Parameters"

Chapter 6: "Microwave Vitrification of Hazardous Sludge by Şırnak Asphaltite Slime, Shale and Sewage Sludge – Landfill Management by Vitrified Char Sand"

Chapter 7: "Heavy Metals in Cosmetics"

The second section, "Evaluation of Heavy Metals and Their Risks to Irrigation Water," includes five chapters.

Chapter 8: "Concentration Levels of Heavy Metals and Selected Ions in the Irrigation Water: The Case of Little Akaki River, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"

Chapter 9: "Toxicants in Water: Hydrochemical Appraisal of Toxic Metals Concentration and Seasonal Variation in Drinking Water Quality in Oil and Gas Field Area of Rivers State, Nigeria"

Chapter 10: "Effect of Mining on Heavy Metals Toxicity and Health Risk in Selected Rivers of Ghana"

Chapter 11: "Distribution of Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Sediment and Soils in the Riparian Zones around a Kraft Pulp and Paper Mill in Western Kenya"

Chapter 12: "Quantification of Heavy Metal Levels in Sediments of the "Palizada" River in a Protected Natural Area of Southeastern Mexico"

Finally, the third section "Remediation of Heavy Metals," includes two chapters.

Chapter 13: "Leaching Technology for Precious Heavy Metal Recapture through (HCI + HNO3) and (HCI + H2 SO4) from E-Waste

Chapter 14: "Phytoextraction of Zn(II) and Cu(II) by *Canna indica*: Related Physiological Effects"

The editors wish to thank all the participants in this book for their valuable contributions. We also gratefully acknowledge the staff at IntechOpen, especially Author Service Manager Ms. Maja Bozicevic for her continuous assistance in finalizing this work.

> **Hosam M. Saleh and Amal I. Hassan** Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt

Section 1
