inorganic ions

• inorganic ions:

  • important for biological processes
  • skeletal structure
  • soft tissue
  • nerve impulse transmission
  • muscle contraction
  • pH balance in body
  • activators of enzyme, vitamins and hormone
• deficiency

  • in plants and humans some ions needed in high amounts - macronutrients
  • some in low amounts - micronutrients
  • deficiency symptoms displayed if not good enough of a particular ion consumed
  • eg cobalt- anaemia, copper - young plant shoot death
• anions

  negative charged elements
• cations

  positive charged elements
• Ca2+

  • increases rigidity of the bones, teeth and cartilage
  • important in blood clotting and muscle contraction
  • activator for several enzymes such as lipase, ATPase and cholinesterase
  • stimulates muscle contraction and regulates transmission of nerve impulses
  • regulates permeability of the walls
  • cell wall development in plants
• Na+

  • regulation of osmotic pressure
  • nervous transmission and muscle contraction
  • vacuole in plants which helps maintain turgidity
  • affects absorption, water in the kidney
• K+

  • control of water levels
  • assists in active transport
  • nervous transmission and muscle contraction
• H+

  • involved in photosynthesis and respiration
  • involved in transport of oxygen and CO2 in blood
  • regulation of pH
• NH4+

  • component of amino acids, proteins, vitamins and chlorophyll
  • some hormones are made out of protein
  • essential component of nucleic acids
  • component of nitrogen cycle
• NO3-

  • component of nitrogen cycle
  • component of amino acids, proteins, vitamins and chlorophyll
  • some hormones are made out of protein
  • essential component of nucleic acids
• HCO3-

  • regulation of blood pH
  • transport of CO2 into and out of the blood