- •It is recommended for publishing as a study aid by the Editorial Board of Tomsk Polytechnic University
- •Соntents
- •Introduction
- •1. History of knowledge development about biosphere chemical composition and scale of its transformations
- •Global emission of chemical elements (thous.T/year) (according to V.V. Yermakov, 2003)
- •2. Key approachers to classification of chemical elements
- •Fig. 1 Classification of elements in human organism in terms of abundance and use (Underwood e., 1962)
- •Vital elements in composition of organisms (according to а. Lenindger)
- •Content of some elements in plants, animal and human organisms, mg/kg
- •Concentration of cations in marine water and organisms liquids of some mammals and birds, mg/kg (Bgatov а.V., 1999, with recalculations of Ignatova т.N., 2009)
- •Biogenetic classification of elements
- •3. Factors and processes element composition formation of living matter
- •4. Regional aspects of biogeochemistry
- •4.1. Conditions of the Natural Environment Components According to Ecological-Geochemical Monitoring and Population Health Data (Tomsk Region)
- •Geochemical specific characteristics in districts of Tomsk region to maximum element concentration in pathologically changed thyroid glands (relative to regional monitoring)
- •Different diseases of separate thyroid gland pathology types in districts of Tomsk region per 1000 persons (during 5 years)
- •4.2. Element composition of human organs and tissues
- •Contemporary estimation of the environmental pathology (wt. %) and trace elements (mg/kg) in a human body (From Ulf Lindh, 2005 with changes)
- •Comparative estimation of element analysis results obtained by inaa method with published data of domestic and international standards
- •4.3. Biogeochemistry of uranium and thorium
- •Thorium content in the plants of the Large Vasyugan marsh, mg/kg (dm) (“Geochemistry…”, 2002)
- •4.4. Rare earth element in human organs and tissues
- •4.5. Element content in children hair samples
- •Comparative analysis of evaluation level of the chemical element concentration in human hair (mg/kg, dry weight)
- •Comparative data of children hair composition (mg/kg, dry weight) from different regions of Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan
- •Geochemical specification of population hair in Tomsk oblast and other regions (n – number of samples)
- •Conclusion
- •References
- •Geochemistry of living organisms
- •Published in author’s version
- •Printed in the tpu Publishing House in full accordance with the quality of the given make up page
4.3. Biogeochemistry of uranium and thorium
Thorium and uranium reoffered to the group of actinides has been known along with protactinium as early as at the beginning of the past century (Arkhangelskiy, Rikhvanov, 2001). The concept about chemistry, occurrence and behavior of these natural nuclides was developed mostly in terms of advancement of nuclear engineering and achievements in chemistry. At present we have some information on their chemical properties (Spitsyn, Martynenko, 1991; Perelman, 1979; Titayeva, 2000; Rikhvanov, 2002), geochemical behavior in different types of soil, rocks and indicators (Yevseeva, Perelman, 1962 at al.) as well as on their influence on living organisms (“Harmful”, 1990; “Radioactivity…”, 1971; Balabukha, Fradkin, 1958; Moiseev, 1984; et al.).
Nevertheless, the problem of quantitative content of these elements in the segments of living environment as well as biogeochemical aspects of their behavior have not been studied yet up to now. Presumably, this fact is explained to a considerable extent by the analytical difficulties of their determination in living substance (LS). Contemporary kinds of analysis are favorable to accumulation of information on content of these elements in different natural objects.
The urgency of such research is conditioned by the fact that chemical toxicology has not been virtually investigated, radiation toxicology of those elements being well studied, which is a large gap in ecogeochemistry (Ivanov, 1997).
Thorium and uranium are referred to ultramicroelements the content of which in living organisms, as a rule, does not exceed 10-5 %. Uranium and thorium are elements occurring in the environment in the amount being of practical interest in contrast to other actinides. In LS their content is incomparably less. The first quantitative characteristics of U and Th in living organisms are given in research of А.P. Vinogradov (1932), Е. Burkser (1931), J. Hoffman (1942, 1943). Thus, Burkser et al (1931) presents thorium content in ash of cancer forming 0,5 × 10-3 %, but converting into LS 4,2 × 10-5 %. In the same source there are data on fish (goby, Cottus gobio), in the ash of which the content of Th amounts 0,8 × 10-3 % and 4 × 10-5 % respectively. А.P. Vinogradov (1932) gives the results of analytical data on the content of this element in craw fish (Astacus fluviatilis) at the rate of 4 × 10-6 % in LS. The author notices that uranium was found in the egg, but the order of its concentration was not defined. The earliest research giving the information on uranium concentration in LS is the work of German scientists of the 40’s of the past century. Thus, Hoffman (1942, 1943) determines uranium concentration in many organs and tissues of plants, animals, and humans. For example, in mushroom ash (Aspirigillus niger) uranium concentration is stated to be 6,37 × 10-6 %, but in epiphyte causing grass disease Ustillago carbo – 6,08 × 10-3 %, that, perhaps, indicates the process of uranium concentration in the given case. For eggs the author states its content in different parts: egg shell contains 4,03 × 10-6 % of uranium, but its inner content (white and yolk) – 8,84 × 10-8 %. Fluctuations in uranium concentrations make up orders in animal’s organisms depending on organ or tissue and change in the range from 3,17 × 10-8 % in brains up to 1 × 10-1 % in hypophysis (ash). The latest research has revealed the fact that ground plants are characterized by more stable values of uranium contect: 5 × 10-5 % (D.P. Maluga), n × 10-5 % (А.I. Perelman), 6 × 10-5 % (P.L. Kanon) (ash, by (Beus, 1976), 2 – 30 mg/kg (dry matter, V.V. Yeramakov). V.V. Yermakov (2008) presents the data on fluctuation of uranium content in living organisms from 1 - 10 mg/kg of dry matter (dm) in animals to more than 40 000 mg/kg in bacteria (dm) according to literature review. A wide range of U content in plants is given by J. Bowen [6] – from 5 to 69 mkg/kg (dm). G.N. Sayenko (1992) points out that the scatter in actinide content in marine organisms makes up 1× 10-6 - 4 × 10-5 % (dm). A number of authors reveals the concentration of uranium in LS in points of natural abnormalities and sites of uranium industrial enterprise operation (Kabata-Pendias А., Pendias, 1989; Beus, 1976; Rikhvanov, 1997; Baranovskaya, Rikhvanov, 2002 et al.). In particular, uranium concentration in cade amounts up to 1100 mln-1 in ash in vicinity of uranium concentration plant. It is stated (Schaklett et al., 1989), that the maximum uranium content in trees growing on the soil with uranium mineralization amounts 2,2 mg/kg of ash, but in wormwood growing in vicinity of the plant producing phosphorous fertilizer uranium is accumulated up to 8 mg/kg of ash.
At present, the information on thorium content in the environmental objects is less available than that for uranium. Thus, in the works of А. Kabat – Pendias and G. Pendias (1989), as well as in reference of V.V. Ivanov (1997) researches of different authors are pointed out where thorium concentration in ground plants are presented in the range from < 8 – to < 1300 mkg/kg (dm), as well as for vegetables from < 5 to 20 mkg/kg (dm). S.М. Tkalich (1963) points out that the average thorium content in ash of land plants amounts n × 10-5 %, the highest content is – 0,1 %, with accumulation contrast in different species up to 2 000 times. Reference materials of C. Reimann, P. de Caritat (1998) present the results on some differences in thorium content in moss of Norway (0,08 mg/kg) and Germany (0,094 mg/kg) and lichen – 1,8 mg/kg (Germany). In the work of А.А. Kist (1987) the research results of N. J. M. Bowen, G.V. Iengar et al. (1978) and some other authors are summarized (Bowen, 1966; 1968; 1974) as to the content of that and other elements in organisms of plants, animals, and man. In fact it is stated that according to the standards Th concentration makes up: cabbage – 0,092 mg/kg (dm), spinach – 0,12 mg/kg (dm). In Siberian region numerous investigations on accumulation of some elements, including thorium, in plants are carried out by the group of researchers (“Geochemistry…”, 2002) on the territory of the Large Vasyugan marsh (Table 2).
Table 2.