Biologically active trace elements in drinking water from the Quaternary and the Buchak aquifers

Abstract

Trace elements (metals, transition elements and non-metals) are an essential component of the human body's functionality. These trace elements include Fe, Mn, Li, Al, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Se, As, Cr, V, Zn, Cs, U and others. In general, it is believed that about 25 chemical elements are important for the normal functioning of the human body. Trace elements in fresh drinking water as a biological component remain outside the attention of specialists in the field of therapeutic water. Of course, the content of biologically active trace elements in drinking water is much lower than in therapeutic mineral waters, but it should be taken into account that the amount of drinking water consumed by a person is much higher than that of mineral water during therapy. In this case, the low concentration of biologically active trace elements in drinking water is compensated for by the large amount of this water consumed every day. This can have a certain therapeutic effect. The paper presents the results of an assessment of the possible biologically active effect of domestic fresh water. The research was carried out in the most common and widely used aquifers – the groundwater and Buchak aquifers, which are the first to surface and are most widely exploited in rural and suburban areas. The studies were performed in 6 settlements of the Kyiv region: Hlevakha, Novoselivka, Olenivka, Baryshivka, Sezenkiv, and Liutizh. The analyses were performed using an ICP-MS Element 2 inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer at the Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Ore Formation of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The presence of Fe, Mn, Li, Al, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Se, As, which are biologically active trace elements, was determined in the waters of the Quaternary sediments and in the waters of the Buchak aquifer complex. In addition, these waters contain Cr, V, Zn, Cs, U, which do not have medicinal effects but are important for the normal functioning of the human body. Although only 6 locations in the Kyiv region were examined, the results obtained are sufficient for preliminary conclusions that provide reasons to justify a new direction – biological aspects of domestic groundwater.

Keywords

• drinking groundwater
• microelements
• biologically active elements
• aquifers
• kyiv region