A brief review of the physiology of conditionally essential trace elements and their status among vegetarians and vegans is presented. To date, the biological role of conditionally essential trace elements has been studied much worse than the role of essential trace elements and, especially, macroelements. Nevertheless, they perform a number of important functions in the human body, and the development of their deficiency may lead to unpleasant consequences. Fluorine plays an important role in calcium-phosphorus metabolism and bone tissue development. In addition, it is necessary to maintain normal oral flora. With its deficiency, the risk of osteoporosis development increases while the resistance of tooth enamel to bacterial damage decreases. Despite the evidence that vegetarians are more likely to develop caries than omnivores, it is premature to conclude that they are poorly supplied with fluoride, primarily because drinking water is still the main source of fluoride. The most studied function of silicon is its involvement in the collagen synthesis. Thus, with silicon defi-ciency, the formation of connective tissue, including the organic matrix of the bones, is disturbed. Despite the fact that silicon is mainly found in plant foods, vegans should be mindful about its status, since they have an increased risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. There is a lack of data on the physiological significance of bromine. Presumably, it is involved in the activa-tion of certain digestive enzymes, inhibitory processes in the nervous system. Although vegetarians and vegans seem to consume less bromine than omnivores, they are probably at a higher risk of intoxication with this element. This is due to the fact that bromine-containing pesticides are actively used in agriculture and can accumulate in plants. Vegetarians and vegans consume more plant foods. The situation is aggravated by the fact that bromine accumulates more actively against the background of iodine deficiency, which is often observed in these population groups. Boron plays a role in the glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as in the vitamin D, calcium and phosphates exchange, thus participating in the formation of an inorganic matrix of bones. It is unlikely that vegetarians and vegans have an increased risk of developing nutritional deficiency of boron compared to omnivores. However, considering data on a higher risk of vitamin D and calcium deficiency and osteoporosis, monitoring and correction of boron status can affect the prevalence of metabolic disturbances in bone tissue among vegans.
Technological progress is rapidly growing, but the side effect of this process is an increase in the anthropogenic impact on the environment. These factors can cause serious ecological problems. Uncontrolled hunting and exploitation of animals leads to the extinction of many species. The widespread use of plastic products results in large amounts of plastic waste that is not biodegradable and breaks up into micro- and nanoplastics. These particles accumulate in living organisms and can cause toxicity. Deforestation (especially of tropical forests) to the needs of urbanization and agriculture leads to climate change and extinction of many species of plants and animals. Industrial development and farming cause the large production of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4). This leads to a greenhouse effect and climate change. Waste of metallurgical, chemical, pharmaceutical industries, as well as household waste, enters the environment in large quantities, contaminating it. A large number of chemical elements, including post-transition metals, can be considered as anthropogenic pollutants. The purpose of this manuscript was to overview the facts of environmental pollution with post-transition metals. These metals are naturally present in the Earth's crust, however, their use in the industrial cycle has significantly increased their release into the environment. Many of them are emitted to the environment during the combustion of coal and oil, use and disposal of products, as the waste from industrial plants. Extensive pollution of water, soil, and air has been discovered. The accumulation of metals in living organisms is risky since in this way they become a component of the food chain and have a toxic effect on organisms. To date, some sources of pollution are already being restricted, e.g., more environmentally friendly alternatives are chosen, the use of leaded gasoline, Pb or Sn paints in many countries are limited. Some elements, such as Ga, In, Tl, became especially widespread with the development of the electronics. Given the exponential growth of this industry and the lack of eco-friendly recycling ways, severe environmental pollution by these metals may develop. To date, it already occurs in areas of e-waste in some countries, such as Ghana, Nigeria, India, where the accumulation of Ga, In, Tl is found not only in the environment, but also in plants, animals, and people. Increased emissions of industrial untreated waste can lead to acute toxic stress for the entire planet. The development of optimal methods for the production and utilization of these metals and their compounds is crucial in order to preserve the biosphere.
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