The information on this site is subject to a disclaimer and a copyright notice . Measuring metal accessibility in the environment Sewage can contain harmful metals Upon leaching, toxic metals may be transported from sewage and waste into soils and sediments and then into the ground water. While some metals are needed for good health, others are harmful at high levels.
Humans consume the metals in water and through food.
Until recently, there was no common method to measure the levels of metals leached from soils and sediments. Laboratories obtained widely different, incomparable results. A European team came together to establish standardised methods to achieve accurate measurements. C ontrolling the amounts of certain metals in the environment has become increasingly important. While it is vital to consume small amounts of many metals to maintain good health, some metals cause particular concern if exposure is above the recommended limit.