Note: Intro -- TRACE ELEMENTS AS CONTAMINANTS AND NUTRIENTS -- CONTENTS -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contributors -- 1 The Biological System of Elements: Trace Element Concentration and Abundance in Plants Give Hints on Biochemical Reasons of Sequestration and Essentiality -- 1. Introduction -- 1.1 Analytical Data and Biochemical Functions -- 2. Materials and Methods -- 2.1 Data Sets of Element Distribution Obtained in Freeland Ecological Studies: Environmental Analyses -- 2.2 Conversion of Data Using Sets of Elements with Identical BCF Values -- 2.3 Definition and Derivation of the Electrochemical Ligand Parameters -- 3. Results -- 3.1 Abundance Correlations Among Essential and Nonessential Elements -- 3.2 (Lack of) Correlation and Differences in Biochemistry -- 3.3 Implication for Biomonitoring: Corrections by Use of Electrochemical Ligand Parameters and BCF-Defined Element Clusters -- 4. Discussion -- 5. Conclusion -- References -- 2 Health Implications of Trace Elements in the Environment and the Food Chain -- 1. Trace Elements Important in Human Nutrition -- 2. The Main Trace Elements: Their Roles and Effects -- 2.1 Arsenic -- 2.2 Cadmium -- 2.3 Chromium -- 2.4 Cobalt -- 2.5 Copper -- 2.6 Fluorine -- 2.7 Iodine -- 2.8 Iron -- 2.9 Lead -- 2.10 Manganese -- 2.11 Mercury -- 2.12 Molybdenum -- 2.13 Nickel -- 2.14 Selenium -- 2.15 Silicon -- 2.16 Tin -- 2.17 Vanadium -- 2.18 Zinc -- 2.19 Hypersensitivity Issues -- 3. Issues of Environmental Contamination of the Food Chain -- 4. Legislation Concerning Trace Elements -- 4.1 Elements in Soils and the Environment -- 4.2 Elements in Foods -- 4.3 Supplementation of Minerals to Foods -- 5. Food Chain Safety -- 5.1 Soil and Plants -- 5.2 Animal Products -- 5.3 Geological Correlates -- 5.4 Intentional Contamination -- 5.5 Availability of Minerals -- 6. Biofortification -- 7. Concluding Remarks. , Acknowledgments -- References -- 3 Trace Elements in Agro-ecosystems -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements in Agro-ecosystems -- 2.1 Input and Contamination -- 2.2 Translation, Translocation, Fate, and Their Implication to Phytoremediation -- 3. Benefit, Harmfulness, and Healthy Implication of Trace Elements -- 3.1 Benefit to Plant/Crop -- 3.2 Harmfulness to Plant/Crop Physiology -- 3.3 Soil Environmental Quality Standards and Background of Trace Elements -- 4. Phytoremediation of Trace Element Contamination -- 4.1 Basic Mechanisms of Phytoremediation -- 4.2 Research Progress of Phytoextraction -- 4.3 Discussion on Agro-Strengthen Measurements -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 4 Metal Accumulation in Crops-Human Health Issues -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Concept of Ionomics and Nutriomics in the Plant Cell -- 3. The Trace Element Deficiencies in the Developing World -- 4. Improvement of Trace Metal Content in Plants Through Genetic Engineering -- 5. Genetic Engineering Approaches to Improve the Bioavailability of Iron and Zinc in Cereals -- 6. Decreasing the Content of Inhibitors of Trace Element Absorption -- 7. Increasing the Synthesis of Promoter Compounds -- 8. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 5 Trace Elements and Plant Secondary Metabolism: Quality and Efficacy of Herbal Products -- 1. Coevolutionary Aspects -- 2. Environmental Factors and Active Principles -- 3. Influence of Macronutrients -- 4. Influence of Micronutrients -- 5. Trace Elements as Elicitors of Active Principles -- 6. Trace Elements as Active Components of Herbal Drugs -- 7. Trace Elements in Herbal Drugs: Regulatory Aspects -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 6 Trace Elements and Radionuclides in Edible Plants -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Plant Uptake and Translocation of Trace Elements. , 3. Distribution and Accumulation of Trace Elements in Plants -- 4. Vegetables, Fruit, and Berries -- 5. Cereals and Grains -- 5.1 Cadmium in Wheat -- 5.2 Arsenic in Rice -- 6. Aquatic Plants -- 7. Fungi -- 8. How to Cope with Low or High Levels of Trace Elements -- References -- 7 Trace Elements in Traditional Healing Plants-Remedies or Risks -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Indigenous System of Medicine -- 3. Herbal Drug Industry -- 4. Notable Medicinal and Aromatic Plants that have the Inherent Ability of Accumulating Toxic Trace Elements -- 5. Cleanup of Toxic Metals from Herbal Extracts -- 6. Polyherbal Preparation and Traditional Medicine Pharmacology -- 7. Conclusions -- References -- 8 Biofortification: Nutritional Security and Relevance to Human Health -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Bioavailablity of Micronutrients -- 3. Social Acceptability of Biofortified Crops -- 4. Development and Distribution of the New Varieties -- 5. Selected Examples of Biofortified Crops Targeted by Harvestplus in Collaboration with a Consortium of International Partners -- 5.1 Rice -- 5.2 Wheat -- 5.3 Maize -- 5.4 Beans -- 5.5 Brassica juncea (Indian Mustard) -- 6. Selenium-Fortified Phytoproducts -- 7. Sources of Selenium in Human Diet -- 8. Selenium (Se) and Silica (Si) Management in Soils by Fly Ash Amendment -- 9. Chromium for Fortification Diabetes Management -- 10. Silica Management in Rice-Beneficial Functions -- 11. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments and Disclaimer -- References -- 9 Essentiality of Zinc for Human Health and Sustainable Development -- 1. Biogeochemical Cycling of Zinc -- 2. Distribution of Zinc Deficiency in Soils on a Global Level -- 3. Zinc Intervention Programs -- 4. Zinc-Transporting Genes in Plants -- 5. Addressing Zinc Deficiency Without Zinc Fortification -- 6. Zinc Deficiency is a Limitation to Plant Productivity -- Acknowledgments and Disclaimer. , References -- 10 Zinc Effect on the Phytoestrogen Content of Pomegranate Fruit Tree -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Materials and Methods -- 3. Results and Discussions -- 3.1 Pomegranate Yield -- 3.2 Pomegranate Zinc Content -- 3.3 Phytoestrogen Content -- 4. Summary and Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 11 Iron Bioavailability, Homeostasis through Phytoferritins and Fortification Strategies: Implications for Human Health and Nutrition -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Iron Importance -- 3. Iron Toxicity -- 4. Interactions with Other Metals -- 5. Iron Acquisition by Plants -- 6. Translocation of Iron in Plants -- 7. Iron Deficiency in Humans -- 8. Amelioration of Iron Deficiencies -- 9. Ferritin -- 10. Ferritin Structure -- 11. Mineral Core Formation -- 12. Ferritin Gene Family and Regulation -- 13. Developmental Regulation -- 14. Role of Ferritin -- 15. Metal Sequestration by Ferritin: Health Implications -- 16. Overexpression of Ferritin -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 12 Iodine and Human Health: Bhutan's Iodine Fortification Program -- 1. Role of Iodine -- 2. Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) -- 3. Sources of Iodine -- 4. Recommended Intake of Iodine -- 5. Indicators for Assessment of Iodine Status and Exposure -- 6. Control of IDD -- 7. IDD Scenario in Bhutan: Past and Present -- 8. Toward IDD Elimination in Bhutan: Highlights of the IDD Control Program -- 8.1 IDD Survey -- 9. 1996 Onward: Internal Evaluation of the IDDCP through Cyclic Monitoring -- 10. Conclusion -- References -- 13 Floristic Composition at Kazakhstan's Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site: Relevance to the Containment of Radionuclides to Safeguard Ecosystems and Human Health -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Kazakhstan: Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site -- 3. Flora of Nuclear Test Site -- 4. Fodder Plants -- 5. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments and Disclaimer -- References. , 14 Uranium and Thorium Accumulation in Cultivated Plants -- 1. Introduction: Uranium and Thorium in the Environment -- 2. Uranium and Thorium in Soil -- 2.1 Soil Characteristics Affecting Uranium and Thorium Plant Uptake -- 2.2 Effects of Soil Amendments -- 3. Radionuclides in Plants -- 3.1 Accumulation of Uranium and Thorium in Plant Roots -- 3.2 Differences in U and Th Uptake by Different Plant Species (in the example of wheat Triticum aestivum and Rye Secale cereale) -- 3.3 Effects of U and Th Bioaccumulation on Distribution of Other Elements in Rye and Wheat -- 3.4 Relationships Between U and Th in Soils and in Different Plant Parts -- 3.5 Phytotoxicity of U and Th -- 3.6 Effects of U and Th on Leaf Chlorophyll Content and the Rhizosphere Microorganisms -- 3.7 Temporal Variations of U and Th in Plants -- 3.8 Effects of Thorium on a Plant During Initial Stages of the Plant Growth -- 4. Potential Health Effects of Exposure to U and Th -- References -- 15 Exposure to Mercury: A Critical Assessment of Adverse Ecological and Human Health Effects -- 1. Human Health Effects -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Sources and Cycling of Mercury to the Global Environment -- 1.3 Methylmercury -- 2. Adverse Ecological Effects -- 2.1 Laboratory Toxicity Studies -- 2.2 Biochemical Approaches to Study Bioavailability and Effects -- 2.3 Methods -- 2.4 Results and Discussion -- 3. Case Study: Mercury-Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants as a Major Point Sources of Mercury in Aquatic Environments-The Case of Cinca River, Spain -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 The Case of Mercury Pollution in Cinca River, Spain -- References -- 16 Cadmium as an Environmental Contaminant: Consequences to Plant and Human Health -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Cadmium is Natural -- 3. Past and Present Status -- 3.1 Natural Sources -- 3.2 Technogenic Sources -- 3.3 In Agricultural Soils: Cadmium from Phosphate Fertilizers. , 3.4 Induction of Oxidative Stress as a Fall-Out of Cadmium Toxicity.