Metals and chemical change

• Corporate Authors: Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain), Open University
• Other Authors: Johnson, D. A. David Arthur
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Royal Society of Chemistry 2002
• Series: The molecular world
• Subjects: Thermodynamics; Metals; Metallurgy
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.
• Item Description: Published in association with the Open University
• Physical Description: 272 pages colour illustrations 27 cm. 1 CD-ROM (4 3/4 in.)
• Format: System requirements: Pentium 400 MHz or compatible processor; Windows 95/98/Me/2000; 32 MB RAM; 100 MB hard disk free space; 800 x 600 video resolution at 16-bit color; 8x CD-ROM; Windows compatible sound card and speakers
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index
• ISBN: 0854046658

Metals play a vital role in the metabolism of plants and animals and, increasingly, in medicine. This book, one of two used as the main teaching material on an Open University course, provides an introduction to the metals essential to life and ligands of biological importance. It considers the uptake of metals, their transport and ultimately their storage, illustrated in particular with the story of iron in the body. It also considers Na, K and Ca ion channels and biomineralisation and covers the key roles that metals and their complexes play in living systems, for example in respiration and photosynthesis. The last section (delivered online) considers metal toxicity and deficiency and the role that metals play in medicine, looking at both diagnostics and therapy and the forefront of inorganic research.