TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tile Page     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgements         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv-v

Table of Contents  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION –         –         –         –         –         –         –         1-2

1.1     Biological Classification of Micro-Minerals  –         –         –         2-3

1.2     Categorical Classification of Trace Elements –         –         –         3-5

CHAPTER TWO

2.1     Source of Micro-minerals          –         –         –         –         –         6

2.2     Strategies for Correction of Micro-nutrient    ­          –         –         7

2.2.1  Supplementation    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         7

2.2.2  Fortification –         ­          –         –         –         –         –         –         7-8

2.2.3  Dietary Modification       –         –         –         –         –         –         8-9

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     Importance of Micro-minerals in Human Health     –         –         10

3.1     Copper         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         10-12

3.2     Iron   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         12-14

3.3     Zinc   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         14-16

3.4     Cobalt          –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         16-18

3.5     Manganese   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         19-20

3.6     Iodine –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20-21

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     Summary and Conclusion

4.1     Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         22-23

4.2     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         23

References

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

We have less than 100 years of knowledge on the impact of element in the human body. It is estimated that 95% of the body mass of man is made of nine nonmetallic elements (Klienlen, 1977). The four main electrolytes namely sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium constitute about 1.89%, while the rest of 0.02% or 8.6g  of an average human adults is made up of 11 typical trace element (Frieden, 1972). However, this tiny fraction exerts a tremendous influence on the body functions. Most of them mediate vital biochemical reactions by acting as a cofactor or catalyst for many enzymes. They also act as centers of building stabilizing structures such as enzymes and proteins. The accumulation of   metals or deficiency pathway which might produce diseases. Interaction among the trace element may also act as scaffold upon which the etiopathogenesis of many nutritional and disorders (Stohs  and Bagchi, 1995).  Element such as iron, zinc, and selenium are essential components of enzymes where they attract or subtract molecules and facilitate their conversion to specific and products. Few elements donate or accept electrons in redox reactions, which results in generation and utilization of metabolic energy and have an impact on the  structural stability and to import certain biological molecules. Iron is involved in the binding, transporting and release of oxygen in higher animals. Some of the trace elements control important biological processes by facilitating the binding of molecules to their receptor sites on cell membrane to prevent or allow specific molecules to enter or leave a cell and in inducing gene expression resulting in the formation of protein involved in life processes (Nielsen, 1990).

1.1     Biological Classification of Micro-Minerals

Various classifications have been proposed by so many authors on elements — both major as well as the trace elements, considered as essential for the normal development and growth.

Classification proposed by Frieden (1981) which divided the elements into micro, trace, and ultra-trace elements based on the amount found in tissues.

1. Essential trace elements: Boron, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc.
2. Probable essential trace elements: Chromium, fluorine, nickel, selenium, and vanadium.
3. Physically promotive trace elements: Bromine, lithium, silicon, tin, and titanium (Frieden, 1985).

1.2     Categorical Classification of Trace Elements

It is observed that there are at least 29 different types of elements including metal and nonmetals in an adult human body. These 29 elements can be broadly classified into five major groups they are as follows:

• Group I: These elements are the basic components of macromolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. The elements belonging to these groups are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
• Group II: These are nutritionally important minerals. They are also called as principal elements or macro elements. Their daily requirement for an adult human is above 100 mg/day. The deficiency of such elements usually proves fatal unless intervened properly. The elements belonging to this group are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sulfur.
• Group III: There are the essential trace elements. An element is called as trace elements when their requirement per day is below 100 mg and deficiency leads to disorders and may prove fatal. The elements belonging to this group are copper, iron, zinc, chromium, cobalt, iodine, molybdenum, and selenium. Of these, iodine is a nonmetal, while others are metals.
• Group IV: They are additional trace elements. Their role is not clear and they may be essential. The elements belonging to this group are cadmium, nickel, silica, tin, vanadium, and aluminum.
• Group V: This group of metals is not essential their presence may produce toxicity. They have no known function in the human body. The elements belonging to this group are gold, mercury, cyanide, and lead (Frieden, 1974).

The trace elements included Group III also called as minor elements. Their requirement is below 100 mg/day and their absence may not hinder normal development, but their activity may be substituted by another metal (Frieden, 1974). Analytical methods are used to measure metal concentration in human tissues and body fluids (Minoia et al., 1990).