“…Environmental contamination with trace metals is a major concern in point source locations like smelters and foundries, metal-based industrial and mining activities [ 7 ]. Evaporation of some metals from water bodies, soil and groundwater, soil erosion of metal ions, sediment re-suspension, leaching of trace metals, air deposition, and metal corrosion can all lead to the environmental pollution [ 8 , 9 ]. Natural processes such as volcanic eruptions and weathering processes have also been reported to highly contribute to the release of trace metals into the environment [ 6 , 10 ].…”