Bioelements

Defination :
Bioelements or biogenic elements are the chemical
elements present in living beings. They can appear isolated
or forming molecules.

All living beings are constituted, qualitatively and

quantitatively, by the same chemical elements. Of the
approximately 100 chemical elements that exist in nature ,
about 70 are found in living things, although not all are
essential or common to all of them. Of these elements,
only about 22 are found in all with a certain abundance and
fulfill a certain function.
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These elements bring together a series of properties
that make them suitable for life :

They form very stable covalent bonds between them,

sharing pairs of electrons. Carbon, oxygen, and
nitrogen can form double or triple bonds.
They facilitate the adaptation of living beings to the
Earth’s gravitational field , since they are the lightest
elements in nature.
Types of Bioelements
According to their intervention in the constitution of
biomolecules, bioelements are classified into primary
and secPrimary bioelements

PRIMARY BIOELEMENTS:
They appear in an average proportion of 96% in
living matter, and are carbon , oxygen , hydrogen ,
nitrogen , phosphorus and sulfur , essential
elements to form organic biomolecules
(carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.)
Secondary Bioelements

Secondary bioelements are found to a lesser extent in

all living beings, in ionic form, in a proportion of
4.5%. They are classified into two groups: the
indispensable and the variable.

Essential secondary bioelements. They are present in

all living things. The most abundant: Calcium (Ca),
Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), the
rest: Chlorine (Cl), Iron (Fe), Iodine (I).
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Variable secondary bioelements (trace elements).
They are present in some living beings: Boron (B),
Bromine (Br), Copper (Cu), Fluorine (F), Manganese
(Mn), Silicon (Si).
Classification of Bioelements:
Bioelements are also classified according to their
abundance into majority, trace and ultra-traces.

MAJOR BIOELEMENTS:
They are presented in amounts greater than 0.1%
of the body’s weight . Oxygen (O), Carbon (C),
Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N), Calcium (Ca),
Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S), Chlorine (Cl) and
Sodium (Na).
Traces Bioelements
They are present in a proportion comprised between
0.1% and 0.0001% of the weight of a living being.
Others include silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg), and
copper (Cu
Ultra Traces Bioelements
They are presented in amounts less than 0.0001%, for
example iodine (I), manganese (Mn) or cobalt (Co).
The trace elements and ultra-cup are usually called as
a whole, trace elements, since the Greek prefix
“oligo-” means “little”, to denote their scarce
presence in living beings. 60 trace elements have been
isolated, but of them only 14 are considered common
in almost all living things.
 Big 4 Carbon
96% Oxygen
Hydrogen
Element in the Nitrogen
human body Major Element
3.5%
Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Trace element Sulphur
0.5% Sodium
Chlorine
Magnesium

Boron Iodine
Chromium Iron
Cobalt Manganese
Copper Silicon
Tin Zinc
Vanadium Selenium
Carbon ( C) ___ 18% of body weight

Atomic Number : 6

Carbon is the second most abundant element in the human

body and the element that is considered the basis of organic
chemistry. Every single organic molecule in your body
contains carbon. The element bonds to itself to form chains
and ring structures that serve as the basis for all metabolic
reactions in the body. Carbon in carbon dioxide is expelled
as a waste product when you breathe.
Properties of carbon that make it unique

Carbon can form four bonds at a time . Carbon is

tetravalent so can form up to 4 covalent bonds.

Itbond with Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and other

elements . It can also bond to other carbon atoms, forming a
long chain of atoms .

These unique properties of carbon allow it to function as a

building block for living things
Hyrogen (H) ____ 10 % of body weight

Atomic Number: 01

Most of the hydrogen in the body is bound with oxygen to

form water, H2O. Hydrogen, like carbon, is found in every
single organic molecule in the body. Hydrogen also acts as
a proton or positive ion in chemical reactions.
Oxygen ( O) _____ 65 % of body weight

Atomic Number : 8

Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body.

It’s mainly found bound to hydrogen in the form of water.
Water, in turn, makes up about 60% of the human body and
participates in countless metabolic reactions. The element
oxygen acts as an electron acceptor and oxidizing agent. It
is found in all four of the major classes of 
organic molecules: protein, carbohydrates, lipids, and
nucleic acids. 
Nitrogen ( N) _____ 3 % of body weight

Atomic Number : 07

Because most of air consists of nitrogen, nitrogen gas is

found in the lungs, but it is not absorbed into the body that
way. Humans get nitrogen from food. The element is an
important component of amino acids, which are used to
build peptides and proteins. Nitrogen is also an essential
component of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA and all of
the other molecules derived from the nitrogenous bases.
Calcium (Ca) _____ 1.4% of body weight

Atomic Number : 20

About 99% of the body’s calcium is found in bones and teeth,

where the element is used to build strong structural
compounds, such as hydroxyapatite. Although most of the
calcium is in bones and teeth, this is not the mineral’s most
important function. Calcium is an important ion, used in
muscle contraction and protein regulation. If any critical
function has insufficient calcium, the body will actually pull it
out of the bones and teeth. This can lead to osteoporosis and
other problems, so it’s important to get enough dietary calcium.
Phosphorus (P) – 1% of body weight

Atomic Number: 15

Like calcium, the element and mineral phosphorus is found

in the bones and teeth. The element is also found in nucleic
acids and energy molecules, such as ATP (adenosine
triphosphate).
Other Ten Bioelements that are found in small amount
….

Potassium Sulphur

Chlorine Sodium

Magneium Iron

Copper Zinc

Iodine Maganese
Potassium (K) – 0.25% of body weight

Atomic Number: 19

Electrochemistry in the body depends on ions. Of these, 

the cation potassium is among the most important.
Potassium is used in nerve conduction and regulating the
heart beat. All cells in the body require potassium in order
to function.
Sodium (Na) – 0.15% of body weight

Atomic Number: 11

Sodium, like potassium, is an essential cation. This element

is important for nerve transmission and muscle function.
Chlorine (Cl) – 0.15% of body weight

Atomic Number: 17

Chlorine is an important anion. One of its functions

involves the transport of the enzyme ATPase, which is used
to supply energy for biochemical reactions. Chlorine is
used to make hydrochloric acid, which is found in the
stomach and digests food.
Magnesium (Mg) – 0.005% of body weight

Atomic Number: 12

Magnesium binds to ATP and nucleotides. Its cation is an

important cofactor for enzymatic reactions. Magnesium is
used to build healthy teeth and bones.
Sulfur (S) – 0.25% of body weight

Atomic Number: 16

Sulfur is found in several important amino acids, which are

used to build proteins in the body. Sulfur is found in biotin,
methionine, thiamine, and cysteine.
Iron (Fe) _____ Trace Element

Atomic Number:26

Iron is essential element for most life on earth, including

human beings.Iron is needed for a number of highly
complex processes that continuously take place on a
molecular level and that are indispensable to human life ,
e.g . The transportaton of oxygen around your body.
Copper (Cu) ____ Trace Element

Atomic Number : 29

Copper is essential trace element that is vital to the health

of living organisms. In humans, copper is essential to
proper functioning of organs and metabolic processes.
It keeps nerve cells and immune system healthy .
Iodine ( I) ____ Trace Element

Atomic Number : 53

Iodine is essential micronutrient supporting some of the

vital functions of the human body .Iodine is a nutrient
needed in a minute quantity daily. The most important
function of iodine in the body is in the synthesis of thyroid
hormones , Triiodothyronine (T3) and
tetraiodothyronine(T4) , which influence large number of
metabolic functions.
Zinc (Zn) _____ Trace Element

Atomic Number : 30

Essential micronutrient. Over 300 metalloenzymes and over

2000 transcription for regulation of lipid, protein and
nucleic acid metabolism, and gene transcription.
Manganese ( Mn) ____ Trace Element

Atomic Number : 25

The Human body contains about 12mg of manganese ,

which is stored mainly in the bones; in the tissue , it is
mostly concentrated in the liver and kidneys. In the human
brain , the manganese is bound to manganese
metalloproteins , most notably glutamine synthetase in
astrocytes.