Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2019, 20(2): 55-65
ORIGINAL PAPERS

SHUNGITE ROCKS AS A SOURCE OF RARE-EARTH ULTRAMICROELEMENTS – LANTOIDS

A.P. Ponomarev

Vladimir State University, Gorky str., 87, 600000, Vladimir, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2019-20-2-55-65 

ABSTRACT. Shungite rocks in its composition contains a complex of substances, including minerals, chemical elements and organic substances. It is known that the dissolution of macro-, micro- and ultramicroelements - lantha-nides is most effective in an acidic environment with a pH of 2.0-2.5. Upon receipt of “schungite water”, acidification of the extractant in the form of distilled water occurs either due to the sulfides present in the rubble of the schungite, or by adding one of the mineral acids. To increase the concentration of chemical elements, the extract in the form of an infusion was subjected to evaporation to obtain a given concentration. A method has been proposed and experimentally developed for purifying the extract from macro- and microelements while maintaining the lanthanides by neutralizing the acidity and removing the organic component by the freeze-thaw method. The presence of chemical elements, including lanthanides, is confirmed by the method of mass spectrometry and crystalloscopy. In practical terms, the purified and concentrated schungite extract is used by us to purify water and blood serum from contaminating microorganisms. It is known that lanthanides have the ability to complex, forming chemical bonds with the negatively charged phosphoric acid residues that make up the cell walls of bacteria and nucleic acids to form a network of molecules that are cemented with each other. In addition, it is known that lanthanides have antioxidant properties, the ability to replace calcium in biosystems, prevent blood coagulation, prevent atherosclerosis in experimental animals. In this regard, obtaining a simple and affordable way of an aqueous extract of the mineral shungite containing lanthanides, has scientific and practical value.

KEYWORDS: lanthanides, shungite, water extract, concentration, crystalloscopy, complexation.