Toxicity of heavy metals in plants and animals and their uptake by magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Heavy metal exist naturally in environment, but due to human and some natural activities they have been entered to water bodies, air and soil and have become one of the major global issue. They are equally toxic to both plants and animals as most of them have no role inside the bodies of plants and humans. After entry to the body most of them accumulate there for longer period of time producing various complications like in plants it can damage organs like root, leaves, and components of cells or even interfere with important biochemical process such as photosynthesis, absorption of minerals. Similarly in animals they can damage body basic organs like kidney, liver also cause serious diseases like cancer. The disorders produced by these heavy metals largely depend upon their dose, time of exposure and level of concentration. Heavy metals toxicity has become a serious problem due to their hazardous nature, bioaccumulation and non-biodegradable nature. Living things have been exposed to these heavy metals by various sources but water particularly drinking water is a prominent source. Extensive work has been carried out to remove these metals from water. But the conventional methods have various drawbacks like, not economical, have some impact on environment. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have emerged an ultimate choice of water cleaning adsorbent. It has lot of qualities like, ecofriendly, cost effective, easy use, regeneration and surface modification. •Toxicity of heavy metals in plants and animals•Toxicity of heavy metals in humans•Synthesis and applications of iron oxide NPs•Removal of heavy metals by magnetic iron oxide NPs