Zinc
hideZinc (pronounced /ˈzɪŋk/, from German: Zink and also known as spelter) is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a first-row transition metal in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is chemically similar to magnesium because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The most exploited zinc ore is sphalerite, or zinc sulfide; the largest exploitable deposits are found in Australia, Canada and the United States. Zinc production includes froth flotation of the ore, roasting and final extraction using electricity.
Brass, which is an alloy of copper and zinc, has been used since at least the 10th century BC. Impure zinc metal was not produced in large scale until the 13th century in India, while the metal was unknown to Europe until the end of the 16th century. Alchemists burned zinc in air to form what they called "philosopher's wool" or "white snow." The element was probably named by the alchemist Paracelsus after the German word Zinke. German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf is normally given credit for discovering pure metallic zinc in a 1746 experiment. Work by Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta uncovered the electrochemical properties of zinc by 1800. Corrosion-resistant zinc plating of steel is the major application for zinc. Other applications are in batteries and alloys, such as brass. A variety of zinc compounds are commonly used, such as zinc chloride (in deodorants), zinc pyrithione (anti-dandruff shampoos), zinc sulfide (in luminescent paints), and zinc methyl or zinc diethyl in the organic laboratory.
Zinc is an essential mineral of "exceptional biologic and public health importance". Zinc deficiency affects about 2 billion people in the developing world and is associated with many diseases. In children it causes growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, infection susceptibility, and diarrhea, contributing to the death of about 800,000 children worldwide per year. Enzymes with a zinc atom in the reactive center are widespread in biochemistry, such as alcohol dehydrogenase in humans. Consumption of excess zinc can cause ataxia, lethargy and copper deficiency.
For more information about Zinc, read the full article at
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News tagged with zinc
Eating, drinking and lifestyle changes can boost immunity to ward off seasonal flu
Nov 05, 2009 |
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College students looking to stay healthy during flu and exam season need to focus on three very important factors, says a nutritionist at Washington University in St. Louis.
Hybrid molecules show promise for exploring, treating Alzheimer's
Nov 04, 2009 |
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One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the disease's devastating symptoms ...
3-D system based on optical fiber could provide new options for photovoltaics
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Nov 02, 2009 |
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Converting sunlight to electricity might no longer mean large panels of photovoltaic cells atop flat surfaces like roofs.
Eco-friendly metal coating replacement for chromate
Oct 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- CSIRO has developed a novel coating technology, "Quench Coat", to protect galvanised products from 'white rust' ? the form of zinc oxide that tarnishes freshly galvanised coatings, making ...
New rechargeable zinc-air batteries coming soon
Oct 29, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new breed of rechargeable zinc-air batteries is soon to be available, and may replace lithium-ion batteries in cell phones, laptops and other consumer items. Lithium-ion batteries store ...
New material could efficiently power tiny generators
Oct 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- To power a very small device like a pacemaker or a transistor, you need an even smaller generator. The components that operate the generator are smaller yet, and the efficiency of those foundational components ...
Protein interaction network can respond Helicobacter pylori infection?
Oct 16, 2009 |
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Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) is a gram negative bacterium which infects about 50% of the world population. H pylori colonization causes a strong systemic immune response. Various tools have been employed to identify the rela ...
Countries slow to use lifesaving diarrhea treatments for children
Oct 08, 2009 |
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Despite evidence that low-cost diarrhea treatments such as lower osmolarity oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc supplements could drastically reduce the number of deaths among children, little progress has been made in ...
EPA announces research strategy to study nanomaterials
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Sep 29, 2009 |
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today outlined a new research strategy to better understand how manufactured nanomaterials may harm human health and the environment. Nanomaterials are materials that are between approximately ...
Lotus Plant-Inspired Dust-Busting Shield to Protect Space Gear
Sep 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A NASA team is developing a transparent coating that mimics the self-cleaning properties of the lotus plant to prevent dirt from sticking to the surfaces of spaceflight gear and bacteria from ...
High-Res View of Zinc Transport Protein
Sep 13, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- How much difference can a tenth of a nanometer make? When it comes to figuring out how proteins work, an improvement in resolution of that miniscule amount can mean the difference between seeing where atoms ...
Scientists propose new hypothesis on the origin of life
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Sep 04, 2009 |
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The Miller-Urey experiment, conducted by chemists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey in 1953, is the classic experiment on the origin of life. It established that the early Earth atmosphere, as they pictured it, ...
Think zinc: Molecular sensor could reveal zinc's role in diseases
Aug 30, 2009 |
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Scientists have developed a new molecular sensor that can reveal the amount of zinc in cells, which could tell us more about a number of diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The research, published today in ...
A safe approach to nanotechnology: Boiling up zinc oxide nanorods without toxic solvents
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Aug 19, 2009 |
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A non-toxic and environmentally friendly way to make tiny nanorods of zinc oxide has been developed for the first time by researchers in Saudi Arabia. The approach, described in the current issue of the International Journal of ...
Antioxidants not associated with increased melanoma risk
Aug 17, 2009 |
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Antioxidant supplements do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of melanoma, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology.
