Distribution and interactions of priority heavy metals with some antioxidant micronutrients in inhabitants of a lead-zinc mining community of ebonyi state, Nigeria

Background: Human exposure to xenobiotics, especially priority heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and chromium), is unavoidable because of their involvement in industrial applications, accumulation in the environment over time and non-biodegradability. Unfortunately, they induce unprecedented biochemical and pathological changes on those exposed to them, causing oxidative damages and organ toxicities.