Heavy metals are everywhere, in one form or the other. All salts of a heavy metal are either not soluble or not harmful. The present trend in heavy metals research has revealed that every part of the planet Earth is full of hazard. Do you think we have to change the methods and techniques and find out the actual hazard?
All heavy metals are not bad (eg iron is even an essential one for life but can be lethal if over-consumed), and some are only hazardous when in certain forms or solutions (trivalent chromium is sometimes considered to be an essential nutrient whereas hexavalent chromium is carcinogenic. Trivalent chr can be oxidised into hexavalent, which can be buffered back into trivalent). Similarly lead (Pb) mostly found in sulfate form, which is insoluble in water and not available for plant to be taken. The heavy metals in question are those contributing to direct bodily and ecosystem harm and needed to be focused.
Your question is about speciation, transfer and bioavailability -- a big question! However, much is known about parts of the puzzle and much remains to be done
You say that all salts of a heavy metal are either not soluble or not harmful, but some are soluble and are harmful. Please give more details about your actual question and perhaps one of us can help. Cheers.
Indeed, heavy metals are everywhere, but also in different forms such as salt, ionic, stable minerals, solutions etc.
Question: Hazardous for humans, (adults or children ??), aquatic live, rodents, grazing animals, vegetation, soil microbes? It is a question with so many variables, that you would require artificial intelligence (AI) to guide your questionnaire, and then much more intelligence to answer your questions.
Some are essential at low concentrations and toxic at slightly higher concentrations such as selenium in grazing for cattle, sheep and horses.
The association with other minerals are also a source of complexity such as Arsenic (As) in soil at low concentrations (5mg/kg) could be serious for animal drinking water, but if the As is present together with sulfate minerals, it is not soluble and therefore not a problem in the drinking water.
Please refer to PW van Deventer, JM Hattingh & PM Harris. 2021. Agreenco Glossary. Environmental Rehabilitation of mines. First Edition. Pretoria, South Africa.
There are many Appendices and definitions that might be helpful.
Worldwide, one in three children have dangerous levels of lead in their bloodstream. One major source of exposure could easily be eliminated by banning the manufacture and sale of lead paints...
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02368-0
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