The elements of life

1
The elements of life

• EL 2
• Take two elements

2
A trace is all you need

• Trace and ultra elements, although they make up
  only the remaining 1 are essential for life
• The ultra trace elements, cobalt, copper, iodine,
  iron, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, vanadium
  and zinc are not given because their quantities
  are so small

3
Uses of some trace elements
4
An Iron story
Oxygen can be attached to central Fe

• Iron carries out a vital role in the body as
  part of the substance haemoglobin, present in
  blood, it is responsible for the transport of
  oxygen

5
An Iron story

• Body can easily become deficient in iron,
  particularly in young teenagers who are growing
  quickly. Anaemia can be cured easily with iron
  tablets and an alteration in diet
• There can also be too much iron in the body due
  to a genetic disorder.
• Over a lifetime the body can accumulate many
  times the normal quantity of iron which is stored
  in many organs including the liver. This can only
  be treated by taking blood from the patient

6
An Iron story

• The haemoglobin molecule consists of an iron atom
  at the centre of a ring structure.
• The ring is the haem part of the molecule.
• Also associated with the central iron atom is the
  protein - globin

7
An Iron story

• Haemoglobin is able to do its job because oxygen
  molecules become attached to the Fe atom.
• Oxygen isnt the only substance to behave in this
  way. Carbon monoxide also behaves like this but
  it is attracted more strongly attracted than
  oxygen therefore it is a poison (preventing
  oxygen bonding with the Fe atom and being carried
  in the blood)
• Smokers are prone to heart disease because
  cigarette smoke contains CO so the heart has to
  work harder to supply the body with oxygen

8
An Iron story

• Blood donors are tested to see if enough iron is
  present in their blood.
• A drop of blood is taken and placed in a solution
  of copper sulphate.
• Reacts with haemoglobin to form an insoluble
  compound which appears as a white blob.
• If the blob sinks the donor has enough
  haemoglobin (therefore Fe) to be able to donate
  safely

9
A Calcium story

• Ca is essential for the development of bones,
  especially in children and young people
• Pregnant women should eat a calcium rich diet to
  ensure that her bones remain strong, but her
  babys bones are properly formed

10
A Calcium story

• Demineralised bones are referred to those that
  have insufficient calcium
• Osteoporosis is caused by a lack of calcium,
  people with the disease tend to suffer from
  fractures and curvature of the spine.

11
A Calcium story

• Increased uptake of calcium can help osteoporosis
• Scientists wanted to find out how much calcium
  was taken up by the blood and becomes part of the
  bones
• To do this we can use a tracer technique
• Patients given a meal containing a radioactive
  calcium isotope and the amount of the radioactive
  calcium taken up by the blood stream was then
  measured

12
A Calcium story

• Radioactive isotopes can be dangerous
• Alternative was to use strontium (v. similar to
  calcium) much safer
• This idea came from when observations were made
  during the 1960s that children had much higher
  levels of strontium in their bones than was
  expected.
• It was thought to come from atmospheric strontium
  90 which came from nuclear weapons testing in
  the fifties
• Strontium is taken up in the bones just like
  calcium

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A Calcium story

• Strontium can be analysed in the presence of
  calcium because it gives a characteristic red
  light when put in a flame. The intensity of the
  light is a measure of the amount of strontium
• The ability to monitor the patterns of calcium
  absorption through the use of non-radioactive
  strontium has led to greater understanding of
  calcium deficiencies and improvements in the
  treatment of bone disorders like osteoporosis
• Ca content of bones can now be routinely
  monitored in hospitals. The procedure is quick
  and accurate and involves measuring bone density
  by comparing the transmission of X- rays and soft
  tissue