84 Abstracts

Trace and toxic elements in Medical Geology

Monica Rădulescu', Grigore Buia' , Lorinţ Csaba'

, Conestoga Rovers and Associates, mradulescu@craworld.com
' University ofPetroşani, Str. Universităţii 20, 332006, Petroşani, Romania, buia@upet.ro, csabigeo@upet.ro

ABSTRACT:
The main objective of the medical geology is based on the study of the presence or absence oftrace elements and their
implications in human and ecosystem health. The same element, depending on ils concentration and association wilh other
elements, can induce quite different effects. Theis study presents briejly the relationship between medical geology and our daily
lives, while focusing on the interactions between inhaled and ingested minerals and biological systems.

INTRODUCTION
Medical geology is based on the study ofthe presence or absence oftrace eIements and their implications in human and
ecosystem health. Organisms span a wide range ofliving environments within the geospheres ofthe Earth, anywhere from below
the surface ofthe Earth until the upper atmosphere. As vectors of geochemical circulation of elements, humans, animal and plants
wiU assimilate and recycle various chemical elements, usually in very small amounts. The chemi cal equilibrium of a healthy
organism is a very delicate balance, where variations in minute amounts of trace elements can induce significant effects
detrimental to health.
MEDICAL GEOLOGY AT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN GEOSCIENCES AND
MEDICINE
Medical geology research brings together geological, geographical and medical factors. The
study ofthe relationship between the type ofrocks, location and geological processes help tracing the
migration path of the chemical elements between rock and body. Understanding the new air
circulation patterns within the global climate change and the sources of air particles helps building
knowledge for medical geology. Hydrogeology deterrnines the migration and fate of eIements in the
groundwater. Mineralogy explores how minerals interact within the natural environment.
Understanding the relationship between the distribution of chemical elements in the nature,
migration pathways to the human body, mechanisms of intake and distribution, helps building
knowledge ofthe human health issues related to the geological environment.

lA

Cs Ba La Hf Os Ir Pt Au Hg
Fig. 1.
Elements found in the human body. The most abundant elements in the body (red), lesser elements (blue), and trace elements (green).
Source: Dept. of Chemistry, University of Florida.
 Poster 85

Fig. 2.
Adsorption and distribution of chemical elements in the human
body (afler Apostoli, 2002)

TRACE ELEMENTS
Trace elements are required by organisms in small
amounts to ensure normal metabolism and physiological functions.
Trace elements found in the humans and animals are iron,
manganese, zinc, copper, iodine, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium,
chromium, silicon, fluorine, vanadium, nickel, arsenic, tin. The
number of trace elements and their effects in the organisms can be
difficult to isolate and quantify. The same element, depending on
concentration and re1ationship with other elements in the body, can
induce very different effects. For example, many trace elements in
the human body act as cofactors for enzymes: cobalt is required for biosynthesis of vitamin B 12 family of coenzymes, copper is
required for redox enzymes, fluorine participates in formation of tooth enamel which contains fluoroapatite, iodine is required for
the biosynthesis ofthyroxine, iron is required for proteins and enzymes, especially hemoglobin.

TOXIC ELEMENTS
While toxic elements elements in very small amounts are necessary to support life, in larger amounts may become a
significant health hazard. Heavy metals, as cadmium, lead and mercury are capable of disrupting essential physiological
processes. Some heavy metals form stable and long-lasting complexes with sulfur in biological molecules, which can disrupt their
biological function, allowing the metals to become concentrated at higher levels ofthe food chain.

HEALTHISSUESANDNATURALTRACEANDTOXICELEMENTS
Recent medical geology well documented studies (Sellinus et al., 2005) explore the relationships between geologic
materials and trace element deficiency for iodine and selenium, respectively exposure to trace and toxic elements such as arsenic,
fluorine and mercury. the exposure to natural dust (originating from vo1canic emissions and mining) is the casuse of a wide range
of respiratory problems and organ related damage such as black-lung disease and silicosis.

Fig. 3.
Health issues and natural
geological materials and
processes. (Courtesy of
Robert B. Finkelman, Oile
Selinus and Jose A.
_ Centeno).
lini Joint Disease

REFERENCES

1. Apostoli P., Elements in environmental and occupational medicine. J Chromatogr B, 2002;778 :63-97
2. Selinus O., CentenoA., FinkelmanR., Essentials ofmedical geology, 2005 .