Biophilic elements

Biophile elements, tending to occur in biological systems. 

The average composition of marine phosphorites on continental margins is summarized in Table 2, and the enrichment factors E m (phosphorite/shale) for various elements are plotted in Figure 23. (phosphorite/shale) values of 1 (within a factor of 2) for Li, B, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ti, Fe, Ga, and Bi indicate their aluminosilicate origin. The moderate enrichment of Sc, V, Cr, Y, Zr, Nb, REEs, and Th, and high enrichment of Ag, Cd, and U probably result from their replacement of Ca in CFA, facilitated by their similar ionic radii. However, the enrichment of biophile elements S, Se, Cu, Zn, Mo, Sn, Sb, Au, and Hg is also related to the occurrence of sulfides and organic matter in the samples (Li, 2000). 

The identification of biogeochemical consequences of carbon, nitrogen, sulfnr, oxygen and other biophilic elements incorporation into biomass is recognized as an isotope fractionation or anomaly. When an element exists as a mixture of stable isotopes, as in the case of C, H, S, N, and 0, biochemical and chemical transformations... 

Goldschmidt s ideas on the primary distribution of the elements in the Earth have not been seriously challenged (see, however, Bums and Fyfe, 1966a). From studies of minerals in meteorites and phases from blast furnaces, Golschmidt classified the elements as siderophilic if they are inert (relative to iron) and enter the metallic phase, chalcophilic if they are concentrated in sulphides, lithophilic if they are concentrated in silicates and atmophilic if they are gaseous and are present in the atmosphere. Those elements enriched in organisms were also classed as biophilic. 

Palmer s trace element results are in good agreement with Goldschmidt s (46) lithophilic, chalcophilic, and biophilic associations (TeTble II). The extent to which Palmer s results can be applied to coal seams other than those studied is uncertain. 

Since iodine in these processes is present in various chemical forms, the chemical speciation of iodine is important for understanding its geochemistry in oceans. Further, iodine is redox sensitive and the most abundant biophilic minor element in the oceans. Here, the behaviors of various iodine species in seawater will be described in regard to biological and abiological processes. 

Biophile Used of elements tending to occur in biogenic particles. Often used synonymously with biogenic. 

A fifth group, the biophiles, has been introduced for elements that concentrate in hving systems, both plants and animals. 

---