Consumption of excess zinc may cause ataxia, lethargy, and copper deficiency. Enzymes with a zinc atom in the reactive center are widespread in biochemistry, such as alcohol dehydrogenase in humans. In children, deficiency causes growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, infection susceptibility, and diarrhea. Zinc deficiency affects about two billion people in the developing world and is associated with many diseases. Zinc is also an essential nutrient element for coral growth as it is an important cofactor for many enzymes. It is the second most abundant trace metal in humans after iron and it is the only metal which appears in all enzyme classes. Zinc is an essential trace element for humans, animals, plants and for microorganisms and is necessary for prenatal and postnatal development. Zinc is refined by froth flotation of the ore, roasting, and final extraction using electricity ( electrowinning). The largest workable lodes are in Australia, Asia, and the United States. ![]() The most common zinc ore is sphalerite (zinc blende), a zinc sulfide mineral. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. ![]() In some respects, zinc is chemically similar to magnesium: both elements exhibit only one normal oxidation state (+2), and the Zn 2+ and Mg 2+ ions are of similar size. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic table. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |