Health Benefits and Risks of Minerals: Bioavailability, Bio-Essentiality, Toxicity, and Pathologies

The chapter starts with the uptake of minerals in the elemental form by the human body, minerals that could be either beneficial or harmful, the uptake involving four sources (food, soil, water, and air) and three pathways (ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption). Afterward the minerals’ geochemical classification, exposure, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, bio-essentiality, and toxicity are the subjects dealt with. Man and minerals are chemical systems which have in common in their constitution of chemical elements or minerals called major, minor, and trace which are essential not only for life and life quality but for minerals formation too. Even these bio-essential minerals in the elemental form can provide toxicity caused by excess and deficiency. Sources and pathologies that can be caused by potentially toxic minerals in the elemental form and by some minerals stricto sensu are identified and discussed. Some metals are essential for life, living quality, and health conditioning, as essential constituents of metalloproteins and metalloenzymes. Some metals, as is the case of heavy metals, may cause health hazards. Nutritional supplements based on minerals and vitamins are dealt with. The chapter ends with the health risks caused by airborne minerals existing in both natural and anthropogenic dust, gas, ash, and smoke.