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Geologic

aspects ofenvironmental

health2011

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ContentsMedical geologyDetermination of health factorsGeologic factors of environmental healthTrace element and healthHuman use, trace substances and health

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Medical GeologyBranch of geology which deals with thestudies of exposure to or deficiency oftrace elements and minerals; inhalation ofambient and anthropogenic mineral dustsand volcanic emissions; transportation,modification and concentration of

organic compounds; and exposure toradionuclide's, microbes and pathogens

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………….. Biological community is highly dependent oncomplex interrelations among biosphere,

lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphereScientifically disease is an imbalance resultingfrom a poor adjustment between anindividual and environment

Geologist contribution is to help in isolatingthose aspects of the geo.envt that mayinfluence the incidence of disease

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Determination of healthfactors

Cultural and climatic factors are associatedwith the patterns of diseases and death rates

Cultural aspects are the sum total ofconcepts and techniques that a group ofpeople have developed to survive in their environment

The nature and extent of linkages/isolationdepends on local customs and degree ofindustrialization

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…………………. Climatic factors such as temperature,humidity and amount of ppt aresometimes intimately related to patternsof diseasesE.g.: malaria, snail fever, Burkett’s tumor etc

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Geologic factorsRelationships between geology andhealth are significant researchThe most important factors are naturalabundance of elements andconcentration & dispersion of chemicalcomponents

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Natural abundance ofelements

Between atomic number of elements andnatural abundance in universe there isinverse relationshipLighter elements are abundant ascompared to heavier elements

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Concentration and dispersion

of chemical componentsMovement of chemical components throughatmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere andbiosphere makes up the geochemical cyclesNatural and artificial processes release chemicalmaterial into different zones of earthThese released elements are cycled and recycledby geochemical and rock forming processesThese processes comprised of weathering,leaching, accretion, deposition and biologicalactivity

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Trace elements and HealthTrace element is a chemical element whoseconcentration is less than 1000 ppm or 0.1% ofa rock's compositionThe term is used mainly in igneous petrologyTrace elements will either prefer liquid or solid phaseImportant trace elements comprised of fluorine,iodine, zinc and selenium

Effects of trace element on a particular organismdepends on the dose of the elementDose-response curve is used for concentration oftrace elements

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Human use, trace substancesand health

Agricultural, industrial and mining activitieshave all been responsible for releasing

potentially hazardous and toxic elementsinto the environment.Different concentration of elements thatare toxic to plants, animals and humanhealth are categorized into five groups:

Elements that occur in anomalous amountsin the clay or sediment or both and are alsofound in many plants include Al, CU, Mo, Niand Na.

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………………… Elements whose concentrations and ratesof movement through the localenvironment are not easily categorized atthe time includeThis grouping suggests how someelements may influence the metabolic

imbalances in living organisms.