Editing Trace element

{{Short description|Element of low concentration}}
__NOTOC__
A '''trace element''' is a [[chemical element]] of a minute quantity, a trace amount, especially used in referring to a [[micronutrient]],<ref name="Bhattacharya">{{Cite journal|last1=Bhattacharya|first1=Preeti Tomar|last2=Misra|first2=Satya Ranjan|last3=Hussain|first3=Mohsina|date=2016-06-28|title=Nutritional Aspects of Essential Trace Elements in Oral Health and Disease: An Extensive Review|journal=Scientifica|volume=2016|pages=1–12|doi=10.1155/2016/5464373|pmid=27433374|pmc=4940574|language=en|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="MW1">{{cite web |title=Definition of Trace element |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trace%20element |website=www.merriam-webster.com |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref> but is also used to refer to minor elements in the composition of a [[rock (geology)|rock]], or other [[analytical chemistry|chemical substance]].

In [[nutrition]], trace elements are classified into two groups: essential trace elements, and non-essential trace elements. Essential trace elements are needed for many physiological and biochemical processes in both plants and animals. Not only do trace elements play a role in biological processes but they also serve as catalysts to engage  in [[redox]] – oxidation and reduction mechanisms.<ref>{{cite web|title=What are Trace Elements ?|url=http://www.med.or.jp/english/pdf/2004_08/351_358.pdf|access-date=2020-12-06|archive-date=2023-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218103949/https://www.med.or.jp/english/pdf/2004_08/351_358.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Trace elements of some [[heavy metals]] have a [[Heavy metals#Biological role|biological role]] as essential [[micronutrient]]s.

==Types==
{{Main|Mineral (nutrient)}}
The two types of trace element in [[biochemistry]] are classed as essential or non-essential.

===Essential trace elements===
An essential trace element is a [[dietary element]], a [[Mineral (nutrient)|mineral]] that is only needed in minute quantities for the proper growth, development, and physiology of the organism.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bowen |first1=Humphrey John Moule |author-link1=H. J. M. Bowen |title=Trace elements in biochemistry |date=1966 |publisher=[[Academic Press]] |isbn=9780121209506 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AH2T3X0enHkC}}</ref> The essential trace elements are those that are required to perform vital metabolic activities in organisms.<ref name="Soto-Jiménez M.F.">{{cite journal |last1=Soto-Jiménez |first1=Martin |title=Trace element trophic transfer in aquatic food webs |journal=Hidrobiológica |date=December 2011 |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=239–248 |issn=0188-8897 |url=http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0188-88972011000300003 |access-date=5 November 2018}}</ref> Essential trace elements in [[human nutrition]], and other animals include [[iron]] (Fe) (hemoglobin), [[copper]] (Cu) ([[respiratory pigment]]s), [[cobalt]] (Co) ([[Vitamin B12]]), [[iodine]] (I), [[manganese]] (Mn), [[chlorine]] (Cl), [[molybdenum]] (Mo), [[selenium]] (Se) and [[zinc]] (Zn) (enzymes).<ref name="Soto-Jiménez M.F." /><ref>{{Cite book|title=Hole's Human Anatomy Fourteenth Edition|last=Shier, Butler, Lewis|first=David, Jackie, Ricki|publisher=McGraw Hill Education|year=2016|isbn=978-0-07-802429-0|location=New York|pages=59}}</ref> Although they are essential, they become toxic at high concentrations.<ref name="Jomova">{{cite journal |vauthors=Jomova K, Makova M, Alomar SY, Alwasel SH, Nepovimova E, Kuca K, Rhodes CJ, Valko M |title=Essential metals in health and disease |journal=Chem Biol Interact |volume=367 |issue= |pages=110173 |date=November 2022 |pmid=36152810 |doi=10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110173 |url=|doi-access=free |bibcode=2022CBI...36710173J }}</ref>

===Non-essential trace elements===
Non-essential trace elements include [[silver]] (Ag), [[cadmium]] (Cd), [[mercury (element)|mercury]] (Hg), and [[lead]] (Pb). They have no known biological function in mammals, with toxic effects even at low concentration.<ref name="Soto-Jiménez M.F." />

The structural components of cells and tissues that are required in the diet in gram quantities daily are known as ''bulk elements''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Essential Elements for Life |url=https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_general-chemistry-principles-patterns-and-applications-v1.0/s05-08-essential-elements-for-life.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=saylordotorg.github.io}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Antinutrient]]
* [[Bowen's Kale]]
* [[Geotraces]]
* [[List of micronutrients]]
* [[Trace metal]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Analytical chemistry]]
[[Category:Biochemistry]]
[[Category:Geochemistry]]
[[Category:Nutrition]]
[[Category:Physiology]]