Iron deficiency

Deficiency

Iron deficiency (sideropenia or hypoferremia) is the most common known form of nutritional deficiency. Too little iron can interfere with these vital functions and lead to morbidity and mortality.

The direct consequence of iron deficiency is iron deficiency anemia. Total body iron averages approximately 3.8 g in men and 2.3 g in women. In blood plasma, iron is carried tightly bound to the protein transferrin. Bacteria, like human cells, require iron for growth, and restricting its bioavailability in this way prevents their infectious growth. There are several mechanisms that control human iron metabolism and safeguard against iron deficiency. When loss of iron is not sufficiently compensated by adequate intake after some time that is determined by the state of body iron storage, iron deficiency develops.

ron deficiency can have serious health consequences that diet may not be able to quickly correct, and iron supplementation is often necessary if the iron deficiency has become symptomatic. However, mild iron deficiency can be corrected, and prevented, by eating iron-rich foods. Because iron is an absolute requirement for most of the Earth’s plants and animals, a wide range of food can provide iron. However, these foods are absorbed and processed differently by the body; for instance, iron from meat (heme iron source) is more easily broken down and absorbed than iron in grains (“non-heme” iron source), and minerals and chemicals in one type of food may inhibit absorption of iron from another type of food eaten at the same time.[1]Because iron from plant sources is less easily absorbed than the heme-bound iron of animal sources, vegetarians and vegans should have a somewhat higher total daily iron intake than those who eat meat, fish or poultry.[2]Iron from nonheme sources is more readily absorbed if consumed with foods that contain either heme-bound iron or vitamin C. This is due to a hypothesised “meat factor” which enhances iron absorption.

What is Magnesium ?

Magnesium

Magnesium  is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, atomic weight 24.3050 and common oxidation number +2.

Magnesium, an alkaline earth metal is the ninth most abundant element in the universe by mass. Magnesium constitutes about 2% of the Earth’s crust by mass, which makes it the eighth most abundant element in the crust. Magnesium is the 11th most abundant element by mass in the human body; its ions are essential to all living cells, where they play a major role in manipulating important biological polyphosphate compounds like ATP, DNA, and RNA. Hundreds of enzymes thus require magnesium ion in order to function.  Magnesium compounds are used medicinally as common laxatives, antacids (i.e., milk of magnesia), and in a number of situations where stabalization of abnormal nerve excitation and blood vessel spasm is required (i.e., to treat eclampsia). Magnesium ions are sour to the taste, and in low concentrations help to impart a natural tartness to fresh mineral waters.

The free metal burns with a characteristic brilliant white light, making it a useful ingredient in flares. The metal is now mainly obtained by electrolysis of magnesium salts obtained from brine. Commercially, the chief use for the metal is as an alloying agent to make aluminium-magnesium alloys, sometimes called “magnalium” or “magnelium”. Since magnesium is less dense than aluminum, these alloys are prized for their relative lightness and strength.

Applications

As the metal

An unusual application of magnesium as an illumination source during wakeboarding in 1931

Magnesium is the third most commonly used structural metal, following steel and aluminium.

Magnesium compounds, primarily magnesium oxide (MgO), are used mainly as refractory material in furnace linings for producing iron, steel, nonferrous metals, glass and cement. Magnesium oxide and other compounds also are used in agricultural, chemical and construction industries. As a metal, this element’s principal use is as an alloying additive to aluminium with these aluminium-magnesium alloys being used mainly for beverage cans.

Magnesium, in its purest form, can be compared with aluminium, and is strong and light, so it is used in several high volume part manufacturing applications, including automotive and truck components. Specialty, high-grade car wheels of magnesium alloy are called “mag wheels”. In 1957 a Corvette SS, designed for racing, was constructed with magnesium body panels. The 917/30 Can-Am car also featured a magnesium spaceframe, helping it to make the most of its prodigious 1100-1500hp. Volkswagen has used magnesium in its engine components for many years. For a long time, Porsche used magnesium alloy for its engine blocks due to the weight advantage. There is renewed interest in magnesium engine blocks, as featured in the 2006 BMW 325i and 330i models. The BMW engine uses an aluminium alloy insert for the cylinder walls and cooling jackets surrounded by a high temperature magnesium alloy AJ62A. The application of magnesium AE44 alloy in the 2006 Corvette Z06 engine cradle has advanced the technology of designing robust automotive parts in magnesium. Both of these alloys are recent developments in high temperature low creep magnesium alloys.

Products made of magnesium: firestarter and shavings, sharpener, magnesium ribbon

The second application field of magnesium is electronic devices. Due to low weight, good mechanical and electrical properties, magnesium is widely used for manufacturing of mobile phones, laptop computers, cameras, and other electronic components.

Historically, magnesium was one of the main aerospace construction metals and was used for German military aircraft as early as World War I and extensively for German aircraft in World War II. The Germans coined the name ‘Elektron’ for magnesium alloy which is still used today. Due to perceived hazards with magnesium parts in the event of fire, the application of magnesium in the commercial aerospace industry was generally restricted to engine related components. Currently the use of magnesium alloys in aerospace is increasing, mostly driven by the increasing importance of fuel economy and the need to reduce weight. The development and testing of new magnesium alloys continues, notably Elektron 21 which has successfully undergone extensive aerospace testing for suitability in engine, internal and airframe components. The European Community runs three R&D magnesium projects in the Aerospace priority of Six Framework Program.

Magnesium firestarter (in left hand), used with a pocket knife and flint to create sparks which ignite the shavings

Incendiary use: Magnesium is flammable, burning at a temperature of approximately 2500 K (2200 °C, 4000 °F), and the autoignition temperature of magnesium is approximately 744 K (473 °C, 883 °F) in air. The extremely high temperature at which magnesium burns makes it a handy tool for starting emergency fires during outdoor recreation. Other related uses include flashlight photography, flares, pyrotechnics, fireworks sparklers, and incendiary bombs.

Magnesium is also used:

- To combine in alloys, where this metal is essential for airplane and missile construction.

- As an alloying agent, improving the mechanical, fabrication and welding characteristics of aluminium.

- As an additive agent in conventional propellants and the production of nodular graphite in cast iron.

- As a sacrificial (galvanic) anode to protect underground tanks, pipelines, buried structures, and water heaters.

In magnesium compounds

The magnesium ion is necessary for all life (see magnesium in biology), so magnesium salts are an additive for foods, fertilizers (Mg is a component of chlorophyll), and culture media.

Magnesium hydroxide is used in milk of magnesia, its chloride, oxide, gluconate, malate, orotate and citrate used as oral magnesium supplements, and its sulfate (Epsom salts) for various purposes in medicine, and elsewhere (see the article for more). Oral magnesium supplements have been claimed to be therapeutic for some individuals who suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS).

Magnesium borate, magnesium salicylate and magnesium sulfate are used as antiseptics.

Magnesium bromide is used as a mild sedative (this action is due to the bromide, not the magnesium).

Magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃) powder is also used by athletes, such as gymnasts and weightlifters, to improve the grip on objects – the apparatus or lifting bar.

Magnesium stearate is a slightly flammable white powder with lubricative properties. In pharmaceutical technology it is used in the manufacturing of tablets, to prevent the tablets from sticking to the equipment during the tablet compression process (i.e., when the tablet’s substance is pressed into tablet form).

Magnesium sulfite is used in the manufacture of paper (sulfite process).

Magnesium phosphate is used to fireproof wood for construction.

Magnesium hexafluorosilicate is used in mothproofing of textiles.

You can check out to mineralogy

What is Zinc ?

Zinc

Zinc is a metallic chemical element symbol Zn and atomic number 30. This is the first row of the transition metals of group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is approximately 75 ppm (0.007%) of the crust, so the 24 most abundant element there. The seawater is only 30 ppb zinc, and the atmosphere contains 0.1 to 4 ng/m³.

The main application of zinc corrosion resistant galvanized steel. Other applications of the batteries and alloys such as brass. Sphalerite, zinc is the most important zinc ore. Including the production of zinc roasting, leaching, and in the finals to win pyrometallurgic or electric submersible vehicles.

Sphalerite (ZNS), usually in combination with other metals such as copper and lead ores. Therefore, the phase in the zinc sulfide minerals. Sphalerite, which is a form of zinc is the most heavily mined ore containing zinc, 60-62% as zinc.

A variety of zinc compounds to find industrial applications, such as zinc chloride (in deodorants), zinc Pyrithione (Anti-dandruff shampoos), zinc (in luminescent paints), zinc and organic methyl or zinc diethyl in the laboratory. Approximately one quarter of the production of zinc in the form of zinc compounds.

Zinc, in the context, the plaintext is a blue-white shiny metal diamagnetic, although most commercial varieties of metal with a metal mat finish.The hard and brittle, but the temperatures in most malleable will be 100 to 150 ° C. Zinc is a good conductor of electricity. The melting point is the lowest of all transition metals, except mercury and cadmium.

Many zinc alloys, including brass, an alloy of zinc and copper. Other metals, such as the binary zinc alloys, aluminum, antimony, bismuth, gold, iron, lead, mercury, silver, tin, magnesium, cobalt, nickel, sodium and tellurium.

Other minerals, zinc, due to smithsonite (zinc carbonate), hemimorphite (zinc silicate), Wurtzite (excluding zinc) and sometimes hydrozincite (basic zinc carbonate).

Zinc is an essential mineral necessary for the preservation of all life. Enzymes in a zinc atom in the center of the reaction in biochemistry, such as alcohol in humans. The consumption of higher concentrations of zinc can lead to ataxia, lethargy and a lack of copper.