Extended AU Present Theory of the Elements and Biological Trace Elements

Abstract

In 1936, Ida Noddack proposed a hypothesis called “All Present Theory of the Elements“, in which she predicted the presence of all elements in geological samples (minerals and rocks). Based on the Noddack’s hypothesis, the present authors are proposing a new concept of “Extended All Present Theory of the Elements”, which indicates that the All Present Theory should be extended to all the biological systems including human beings. In order to elucidate or prove the Extended All Present Theory of the Elements, the experimental results for the determination of all rare earth elements in human blood serum, and multi-element determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in black and green tea leaves were introduced together with the chemical speciation of trace elements in black-tea infusion. Finally, the correlation of elemental concentrations between human blood serum and seawater was discussed from the viewpoints of chemical and biological evolution of the life in seawater. It should be stressed here that the recent research for trace elements has been supported by the development of high-sensitive and multi-element analytical methods, especially ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry)