Toxic metals can affect human health. Some toxic metal anions, including arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium are by-products of the mining and processing of major metal ores, such as those of copper, lead and zinc.

These by-product metals can find their way into soils and ground water. Arsenic, for instance, occurs naturally in many complex mineral rocks, and in this form is relatively harmless, but when exposed to air and water, it becomes soluble and toxic to plants, animals and humans. Both mining and drilling wells for drinking water can expose the arsenic and turn it into two soluble forms, arsenate and arsenite.

This conference will review the latest methods that have been developed to remove these elements from aqueous systems, and ameliorate their toxicity, either by their recovery or neutralisation, with particular emphasis on arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium.