Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
3.5
Journals
Biology
Special Issues
Exposure to Heavy Metals: Advances in Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity
share announcement

Exposure to Heavy Metals: Advances in Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 5637

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qianru Chi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: environmental toxicology; nutritional physiology; cytotoxic mechanisms
Prof. Dr. Yi Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: veterinary toxicopathology; toxic mechanisms in animals; environmental toxicology; oxidative stress and redox biology; toxicity prevention and control strategies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of industrial production, a significant volume of the heavy metals generated by human activities during urbanization and industrialization are released into the atmosphere, water, soil, and crops; these can exist in the environment for a long time and threaten ecological conditions and human health. Various acute and chronic diseases caused by heavy metal exposure can cause multiple organ system injuries, including nephrotoxicity, bone injury, neurotoxicity, cardiovascular injury, diabetes and cancer. Research on the biomarkers for heavy metal exposure has mainly been based on the development of metabolomics and other analytical methods, but there remains a lack of authoritative new indicators. Therefore, determining the total level of exposure in the human environment, elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the absorption, accumulation, and toxic effects of heavy metals in organisms, and understanding their interactions with biomolecules is crucial for the management and control of heavy metal pollution. In addition, based on the current research status, we believe that future research on heavy metal complex toxicity should pay greater attention to its environmental relevance, introduce novel detection technologies and bioinformatics analysis methods, and further explore the physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms of heavy metal complex toxicity. This Special Issue welcomes the submission of papers addressing these topics, especially those combining a high academic standard with a practical focus on the latest detection techniques and biomarkers.

Dr. Qianru Chi
Dr. Yi Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • heavy metal pollutants
  • exposure assessment
  • toxic mechanism
  • biomarkers
  • metabolomics
  • environmental quality monitoring
  • bioinformatics analysis methods

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 3708 KB  
Article
Effects of Nano-Silver Exposure on Oxidative Stress, Transcriptome, and Intestinal Microbiota of Procambarus clarkii
by Jian Li, Bin Qiu, Yitian Chen, Yanping Cai, Huiling Zhang, Xingfei Huang, Yude Wang and Shaojun Liu
Biology 2026, 15(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15010006 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 585
Abstract
There is limited understanding regarding the potential toxicity of nano-silver to crayfish. This study aims to evaluate the histopathological changes, oxidative stress, transcriptomics, and intestinal microbiota changes in different tissues of crayfish after exposure to nano-silver. The results showed that exposure to nano-silver [...] Read more.
There is limited understanding regarding the potential toxicity of nano-silver to crayfish. This study aims to evaluate the histopathological changes, oxidative stress, transcriptomics, and intestinal microbiota changes in different tissues of crayfish after exposure to nano-silver. The results showed that exposure to nano-silver caused pathological changes in the muscles, hepatopancreas, and gills of crayfish. Damage to muscular tissue progressively worsened with increasing concentrations of nano-silver, leading to a gradual widening of the gaps between muscle fibers. Nano-silver enlarged hepatopancreatic lumen and epithelial vacuolation, while the structure of the gills became disorganized, with severe damage to the gill membranes. The activities of peroxidase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GSH), as well as the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the muscles, hepatopancreas, and gills, were altered due to nano-silver exposure. Furthermore, along with the alteration of intestinal flora, there were alterations in the diversity of intestinal microbiota, an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and Ca_Bacilloplasma, and a decrease in the abundance of Citrobacter. The abundance of harmful bacteria increased, causing intestinal inflammatory damage. Totals of 1549 and 1305 differently expressed genes (DEG) were found in the muscles and hepatopancreas, according to transcriptome analysis. Significantly affected pathways included the PPAR signaling pathway. These findings provide valuable insights into the use of nano-silver in the aquaculture of crayfish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure to Heavy Metals: Advances in Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1993 KB  
Article
Heavy Metal Contamination in Adaptogenic Herbal Dietary Supplements: Experimental, Assessment and Regulatory Safety Perspectives
by Agata Jasińska-Balwierz, Patrycja Krypel, Paweł Świsłowski, Małgorzata Rajfur, Radosław Balwierz and Wioletta Ochędzan-Siodłak
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1479; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111479 - 23 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4308
Abstract
While adaptogens are popular in dietary supplements for their health-promoting properties, their safety is compromised by the risk of heavy metal contamination, a threat amplified by inconsistent regulatory standards. This study aimed to assess the extent of heavy metal contamination in adaptogenic supplements [...] Read more.
While adaptogens are popular in dietary supplements for their health-promoting properties, their safety is compromised by the risk of heavy metal contamination, a threat amplified by inconsistent regulatory standards. This study aimed to assess the extent of heavy metal contamination in adaptogenic supplements on the Polish market and evaluate their compliance with international safety limits. Eleven commercially available supplements (tablets, powders, dried materials) containing Withania somnifera, Rhodiola rosea, Panax ginseng, and Schisandra chinensis were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), and other elements using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and mercury analysis (AMA 254). Results demonstrated widespread contamination, primarily with Pb and Ni. In processed forms (tablets and dried fruits), Pb concentrations exceeded permissible limits by up to 235%, while Ni levels were exceeded by up to 321%. Schisandra chinensis preparations showed the highest contamination levels. Furthermore, raw materials from India contained significantly higher Ni concentrations than those from China (p < 0.01). These findings reveal that a majority of the tested supplements fail to meet toxicological safety criteria, posing a significant health risk to consumers. This underscores a critical regulatory gap and highlights the urgent need for harmonized standards and stringent quality control for dietary supplements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure to Heavy Metals: Advances in Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop