Metals subset of trace elements
Trace metals
are the
metals
subset of
trace elements
; that is, metals normally present in small but measurable amounts in
animal
and
plant
cells and tissues. Some of these trace metals are a necessary part of
nutrition
and
physiology
. Some
biometals
are trace metals. Ingestion of, or exposure to, excessive quantities can be
toxic
. However, insufficient plasma or tissue levels of certain trace metals can cause
pathology
, as is the case with iron.
Trace metals within the human body include
iron
,
lithium
,
zinc
,
copper
,
chromium
,
nickel
,
cobalt
,
vanadium
,
molybdenum
,
manganese
and others.
[1]
[2]
[3]
Some of the trace metals are needed by living organisms to function properly and are depleted through the expenditure of energy by various metabolic processes of living organisms. They are replenished in animals through diet as well as environmental exposure, and in plants through the uptake of nutrients from the soil in which the plant grows. Human
vitamin
pills and plant
fertilizers
can be a source of trace metals.
Trace metals are sometimes referred to as trace elements, although the latter includes minerals and is a broader category. See also
Dietary mineral
. Trace elements are required by the body for specific functions. Things such as vitamins, sports drinks, fresh fruits and vegetables are sources. Taken in excessive amounts, trace elements can cause problems. For example, fluorine is required for the formation of bones and enamel on teeth. However, when taken in an excessive amount can cause a disease called "Fluorosis', in which bone deformations and yellowing of teeth are seen. Fluorine can occur naturally in some areas in ground water.
Iron
[
edit
]
Humans
[
edit
]
Roughly 5 grams of iron are present in the human body and is the most abundant trace metal.
[1]
It is absorbed in the
intestine
as
heme
or
non-heme
iron depending on the food source. Heme iron is derived from the digestion of
hemoproteins
in meat.
[4]
Non-heme iron is mainly derived from plants and exist as
iron(II)
or
iron(III)
ions.
[4]
Iron is essential for more than 500 hemeproteins, the likes of which include
hemoglobin
and
myoglobin
, and account for 80% of iron usage.
[1]
The other 20% is present in
ferritin
,
hemosiderin
,
[1]
iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins
, such as
ferrochelatase
, and more.
Zinc
[
edit
]
Humans
[
edit
]
A relatively non-toxic metal to humans and the second most abundant, the body has 2-3 grams of zinc.
[1]
It can enter the body through inhalation, skin absorption, and ingestion,
[5]
with the latter of the bunch being the most common. The
mucosal cells
of the digestive tract contain
metallothionein
proteins that store the zinc ions.
[1]
Nearly 90% of zinc is found in the bones, muscles,
[5]
and vesicles in the brain.
[1]
Zinc is a cofactor in hundreds of enzyme reactions and a major component of
zinc finger
proteins.
Copper
[
edit
]
Humans
[
edit
]
The third most abundant trace metal in the human body.
[1]
It is found in
cytochrome c oxidase
, a protein necessary for the
electron transport chain
in
mitochondria
.
[1]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
Zoroddu, Maria Antonietta; Aaseth, Jan; Crisponi, Guido; Medici, Serenella; Peana, Massimiliano; Nurchi, Valeria Marina (June 2019). "The essential metals for humans: a brief overview".
Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry
.
195
: 120?129.
doi
:
10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2019.03.013
.
PMID
30939379
.
S2CID
92997696
.
- ^
Interrelations between Essential Metal Ions and Human Diseases
. Series editors Sigel, Astrid; Sigel, Helmut; Sigel, Roland K.O. Springer. 2013.
ISBN
978-94-007-7499-5
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: others (
link
)
electronic-book
ISBN
978-94-007-7500-8
ISSN
1559-0836
- ^
Bender DA; Mayes PA; Murray RK; Botham KM; Kennelly PJ; Rodwell VW; Weil PA (2009).
"Chapter 44. Micronutrients: Vitamins & Minerals"
.
Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry
(28th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Archived from
the original
on 7 September 2010
. Retrieved
22 October
2013
.
- ^
a
b
Iron physiology and pathophysiology in humans
. Gregory J. Anderson, Gordon D. McLaren. New York: Humana Press. 2012.
ISBN
978-1-60327-485-2
.
OCLC
773925198
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: others (
link
)
- ^
a
b
Plum, Laura M.; Rink, Lothar; Haase, Hajo (26 March 2010).
"The Essential Toxin: Impact of Zinc on Human Health"
.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
.
7
(4): 1342?1365.
doi
:
10.3390/ijerph7041342
.
ISSN
1660-4601
.
PMC
2872358
.
PMID
20617034
.