Mineral nutrient element

Liu, J.C., Ockenden, I., Truax, M., and Lott, J.N.A., 2004, Phytic acid-phosphorus and other nutritionally important mineral nutrient elements in grains of wild-type and low phytic acid (Ipal-X) rice. Seed Sci. Res. 14 109-116. 

In summarizing these results, it becomes clear that the mineral nutrient elements of Table 2.1 are not only components of the metabolic system and of the final products, but are also responsible for the cooperation of all these substances during the formation of the planf s shape. 

The mineral nutrient elements take part in many processes. Interestingly enough, most elements are involved simultaneously in different reactions of metabolism. Thus, P, K, Mg, Ca, and B are important for the formation of nucleic acids, production of nucleotide phosphates, energy metabolism, and stabilization of membrane structures. Zn is a component of many different enzyme processes, and even Mn and Fe are involved in various reactions. Therefore, no clear assignment of individual elements to distinct areas of metabolism is possible. Indeed, results obtained with different vege-... 

Fig. 2.4 The most important steps of metabolism in which mineral nutrient elements are involved. The specific functions of elements in the individual reactions (e.g., constituent of an enzyme) are not considered (summarized from various sources). Participation especially in energy transfer.

Requirement of Mineral Nutrient Elements and its Estimation for Crops I 297... 

Health and Environment. Manganese in trace amounts is an essential element for both plants and animals and is among the trace elements least toxic to mammals including humans. Exposure to abnormally high concentrations of manganese, particulady in the form of dust and fumes, is, however, known to have resulted in adverse effects to humans (36,37) (see Mineral nutrients). 

Some elements found in body tissues have no apparent physiological role, but have not been shown to be toxic. Examples are mbidium, strontium, titanium, niobium, germanium, and lanthanum. Other elements are toxic when found in greater than trace amounts, and sometimes in trace amounts. These latter elements include arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, silver, zirconium, beryUium, and thallium. Numerous other elements are used in medicine in nonnutrient roles. These include lithium, bismuth, antimony, bromine, platinum, and gold (Eig. 1). The interactions of mineral nutrients with... 

Fig. 1. Periodic Table showing elements of importance in biological systems principal element of bioorganic compounds essential mineral nutrients for humans and other animals 1 essential mineral nutrient for animals, probably for humans M present in body, not known to be a nutrient or toxic element M element used in medicine element generally poisonous and present in body, possibly toxic.

The amount of each element required in daily dietary intake varies with the individual bioavailabihty of the mineral nutrient. BioavailabiUty depends both on body need as deterrnined by absorption and excretion patterns of the element and by general solubiUty, and on the absence of substances that may cause formation of iasoluble products, eg, calcium phosphate, Ca2(P0 2- some cases, additional requirements exist either for transport of substances or for uptake or binding. For example, calcium-binding proteias are iavolved ia calcium transport an intrinsic factor is needed for vitamin cobalt,... 

The essential mineral nutrients are classified either as principal elements or as trace and ultratrace elements. The distinction between these groups is the relative amounts ia the dietary requirement (see Table 1). 

Efficient homeostatic controls of mammalians generally prevent serious toxicity from ingestion of the mineral nutrients. Toxicity may occur under conditions far removed from those of nutritional significance or for individuals suffering from some pathological conditions. Because of very low concentrations in foods, the trace elements are not toxic under normal nutritional conditions. Exceptions are selenium and iron (162). 

Because of its position in the Periodic Table, molybdenum has sometimes been linked to chromium (see Chromiumand chromium alloys) or to other heavy metals. However, unlike those elements, molybdenum and its compounds have relatively low toxicity, as shown in Table 3. On the other hand, molybdenum has been identified as a micronutrient essential to plant life (11,12) (see Fertilizers), and plays a principal biochemical role in animal health as a constituent of several important enzyme systems (see Mineral nutrients). 

Molybdenum, recognized as an essential trace element for plants, animals, and most bacteria, is present in a variety of metaHo enzymes (44—46). Indeed, the absence of Mo, and in particular its co-factor, in humans leads to severe debility or early death (47,48). Molybdenum in the diet has been impHcated as having a role in lowering the incidence of dental caries and in the prevention of certain cancers (49,50). To aid the growth of plants. Mo has been used as a fertilizer and as a coating for legume seeds (51,52) (see FERTILIZERS Mineral NUTRIENTS). 

Minerals. Nuts are considered to be a good source of minerals essential for nutrition, supplying elements of copper, manganese, iron, and sulfur (see Mineral nutrients). The values for the mineral constituents of many nuts shown in Table 2 are averages of available analytical data. Values for the mineral content of the peanut kernel (28) and ash constituents in the macadamia kernel (29) and cashew (26) have also been reported. Chufa nuts have a high sihcon content. 

The elemental and vitamin compositions of some representative yeasts are Hsted in Table 1. The principal carbon and energy sources for yeasts are carbohydrates (usually sugars), alcohols, and organic acids, as weU as a few other specific hydrocarbons. Nitrogen is usually suppHed as ammonia, urea, amino acids or oligopeptides. The main essential mineral elements are phosphoms (suppHed as phosphoric acid), and potassium, with smaller amounts of magnesium and trace amounts of copper, zinc, and iron. These requirements are characteristic of all yeasts. The vitamin requirements, however, differ among species. Eor laboratory and many industrial cultures, a commercial yeast extract contains all the required nutrients (see also Mineral nutrients). 

Zinc, like most metals, is found in all natural waters and soils as well as the atmosphere and is an important trace element in plant and animal life (see Mineral nutrients). Rocks of various kinds contain 20—200 ppm zinc and normal soils 10—30 ppm (average ca 50 ppm) in uncontaminated areas. The average zinc content of coal is 33 ppm. Seawater contains 1—27 )-lg/L (median ca 8 p.g/L), and uncontaminated freshwater usually <10 / g/L. 

Cobalt is one of twenty-seven known elements essential to humans (28) (see Mineral NUTRIENTS). It is an integral part of the cyanocobalamin [68-19-9] molecule, ie, vitamin B 2> only documented biochemically active cobalt component in humans (29,30) (see Vitamins, VITAMIN Vitamin B 2 is not synthesized by animals or higher plants, rather the primary source is bacterial flora in the digestive system of sheep and cattle (8). Except for humans, nonmminants do not appear to requite cobalt. Humans have between 2 and 5 mg of vitamin B22, and deficiency results in the development of pernicious anemia. The wasting disease in sheep and cattle is known as bush sickness in New Zealand, salt sickness in Florida, pine sickness in Scotland, and coast disease in AustraUa. These are essentially the same symptomatically, and are caused by cobalt deficiency. Symptoms include initial lack of appetite followed by scaliness of skin, lack of coordination, loss of flesh, pale mucous membranes, and retarded growth. The total laboratory synthesis of vitamin B 2 was completed in 65—70 steps over a period of eleven years (31). The complex stmcture was reported by Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin in 1961 (32) for which she was awarded a Nobel prize in 1964. 

Copper is one of the twenty-seven elements known to be essential to humans (69—72) (see Mineral nutrients). The daily recommended requirement for humans is 2.5—5.0 mg (73). Copper is probably second only to iron as an oxidation catalyst and oxygen carrier in humans (74). It is present in many proteins, such as hemocyanin [9013-32-3] galactose oxidase [9028-79-9] ceruloplasmin [9031 -37-2] dopamine -hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase [9001-66-5] superoxide dismutase [9054-89-17, and phenolase (75,76). Copper aids in photosynthesis and other oxidative processes in plants. 

In a second experiment, we attempted to determine which nutrient elements gave the same quantitative response as the complete mineral nutrient solution. Results of this experiment demonstrated that nitrogen (NO3), phosphorus, and calcium, the elements applied in the field study, were the ones needed to produce a growth response quantitatively the same as the complete mineral nutrient solution. The need for repetitive application of these elements suggests that one or more may have a dual role, first as a nutrient and second as a soil conditioner that might exchange or complex with an Inhibitory molecule deposited in the soil by the herbaceous weeds. 

Multi-element trace analysis is an important prerequisite for the quality assurance of foodstuffs with respect to the characterization of non-essential, toxic and essential (nutrient) elements as pollutions or as mineral elements relevant to health. Contamination with heavy metals such as Cd, Pb or Hg has become a serious problem with increasing environmental (artificial) contamination e.g., due to industrial pollution. The increasing use of inorganic mass spectrometric techniques (especially of ICP-MS) in the analysis of foodstuffs for multi-element analysis of trace elements or the detection of selected elements and species at a low concentration level has resulted from advances in very sensitive and quantitative measurements of metals, metalloids and several non-metals, including their speciation. 

The amount of each element required in daily dietary intake varies w ith the individual bioavailabiiity of the mineral nutrient. 

---