Humic Substances: Possibility of New Therapeutic Application

Humic substances (HS) are heterogeneous molecular aggregates, which have no defined structure and constitute the principal fraction of natural organic matter. They can act as complexation agents, due to their high density of functional groups, and therefore directly influence the transport, accumula...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ferreira, Natália Noronha, dos Santos, Ademir, Ribeiro, Maria Lucia, Oliveira, Luciana Camargo de, Botero, Wander Gustavo, Rocha, Julio Cesar
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2009
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade de Araraquara (UNIARA)
Repositorio:Revista Brasileira Multidisciplinar
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.revistarebram.com:article/168
Acceso en línea:http://revistarebram.com/index.php/revistauniara/article/view/168
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Humic substances
Potentially toxic metals
Chelating agents.
Substâncias húmicas
Metais potencialmente tóxicos
Agentes quelantes.
Descripción
Sumario:Humic substances (HS) are heterogeneous molecular aggregates, which have no defined structure and constitute the principal fraction of natural organic matter. They can act as complexation agents, due to their high density of functional groups, and therefore directly influence the transport, accumulation, bioavailability and toxicity of different substances. Metals are important environmental pollutants, since they are widely used during human activities, and following release are not either chemically or biologically degraded. Treatment of acute poisoning in humans caused by potentially toxic metals has employed complexation agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or -aminoacids. However, some limitations of these materials such as the lack of selectivity of EDTA and the high cost of -aminoacids have provided the incentive for a search for alternatives. Previous studies of the properties of HS indicate their possible use as an alternative to these chelanting agents.