Heavy Metals and Public Health: A Scoping Review of Biochemical Mechanisms of Distribution and Bioaccumulation in humans,fish and shellfish

Natalia Carolina Bonilla Lizarazo; Gina Paola  Polo Infante; Vanesa Margarita Ramírez Bello

doi:10.22490/25394088.11747

Vol. 20 Núm. 2 (2026): Ingeniería y retos

Publicado 16-09-2026

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Artículo de revisión

Metales Pesados y Salud Pública: Una revisión de alcance de los mecanismos bioqu´´´ímicos de distribución y bioacumulación en humanos, peces y mariscos

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/25394088.11747

Natalia Carolina Bonilla Lizarazo Instituto de Salud Pública, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

Gina Paola Polo Infante Instituto de Salud Pública, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

Vanesa Margarita Ramírez Bello Instituto de Salud Pública, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

Pre-print

Resumen
Referencias

Antecedentes: Los metales pesados han sido utilizados durante mucho tiempo en las actividades humanas, lo que ha provocado un aumento de la contaminación y efectos adversos sobre la salud humana, animal y de los ecosistemas. El consumo de peces y mariscos constituye una fuente importante de exposición humana a estos metales. Sin embargo, los mecanismos mediante los cuales los metales pesados se distribuyen y bioacumulan en los organismos aún no están completamente claros.

Objetivos: Este estudio realiza una revisión de alcance de la literatura científica sobre los mecanismos de distribución y bioacumulación de mercurio (Hg), plomo (Pb), zinc (Zn) y cobre (Cu) en humanos, peces y mariscos.

Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de alcance siguiendo las directrices PRISMA-ScR. Se buscaron estudios en PubMed y EMBASE publicados entre enero de 2020 y diciembre de 2024. Se incluyeron estudios observacionales, revisiones y ensayos clínicos en inglés, español y portugués relacionados con los mecanismos de distribución y/o bioacumulación de los metales seleccionados.

Resultados: De 7789 artículos identificados, 20 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Cuatro estudios abordaron mecanismos generales de todos los metales; 13 analizaron Hg, 9 Pb, 5 Zn y 4 Cu, algunos considerando varios metales simultáneamente. El 80% de los estudios se enfocaron en humanos y el 20% en peces y/o mariscos.

Conclusiones: La revisión evidencia una creciente preocupación por la bioacumulación de metales pesados y resalta la necesidad de investigaciones integradoras que relacionen mecanismos moleculares, factores ambientales y determinantes sociales para fortalecer la vigilancia y la protección de poblaciones vulnerables.

Palabras clave: metales pesados, peces, humano, bioacumulación, Salud Pública

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Bonilla Lizarazo, N. C., Polo Infante, G. P. ., & Ramírez Bello, V. M. (2026). Metales Pesados y Salud Pública: Una revisión de alcance de los mecanismos bioqu´´´ímicos de distribución y bioacumulación en humanos, peces y mariscos. Publicaciones E Investigación, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.22490/25394088.11747

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