Content of some elements in plants, animal and human organisms, mg/kg

Element	Plants	Animals	Human organism
Hydrogen	55000	70000	99900
Lithium	0,098	0,021
Boron	50,9	0,506	0,28
Carbon	454000	465000	228000
Nitrogen	30002	100002	25700
Oxygen	410000	186000	0,61
Fluorine	0,49-40	150-499,7	37,13
Sodium	1196	4002	1430
Magnesium	3168	984	270
Aluminum	494	3,9-96,2	0,87
Silicon	196-5012	112-5992
Phosphorous	2294	16988-45440	11000
Sulfur	3392	4992	1900
Chlorine	2023,5	2804,5	1,35*103
Potassium	14040	7410	1,9*103
Calcium	18000	200-8500	14300
Titanium	0,96	0,192
Vanadium	1,53	0,153
Chromium	0,228	0,073	9,4*10-2
Manganese	629,7	0,22	0,17
Iron	140	162,4	59,9
Cobalt	0,472	0,0295	21,4*10-3
Nickel	43,2	0,82	0,14
Copper	14	2,54	1,03
Zinc	99,4	159	32,8
Gallium	0,056	0,0055
Rubidium	19,5	17	9,7
Strontium	26,4	14,08	4,5
Zirconium	0,64	0,27
Barium	13,7	0,685	0,31
Lead	2,7	2,07	1,7
Uranium			1,28*10-3

Actually, the first four elements could form the whole row of organic molecules such as elementary hydrocarbons, aldehydes, spirits and a number of amino acids. Academician А.I. Oparin showed this in his model experiments simulating the natural conditions, assumingly existed about 3 bill. years ago. The same elements are the frame of any organic molecule.

To the four elements mentioned, above undoubtedly predominated in the ancient atmosphere and hydrosphere, and surely included in before-cellular forms of life it necessary to add two more – phosphorous and sulfur.

Indeed, life is impossible to imagine without two things – transmission of hereditary information and energy. Phosphorous forms the basis of hereditary molecules – DNA and RNA as well as a molecule generating energy – АТP. A commonly accepted F. Engels’s definition: "Life as a way of existence of protein bodies..." – is not correct in its sense as some "living" viruses do without protein presenting only a chain of DNA or RNA capable of autonomous existence.

As for sulfur this element forms the composition of two out of 20 basic amino acids – methionine and cysteine, units constituting proteins of all higher organisms, in this case the composition includes sulfur forming disulfide bridges produces tertiary, globular protein structure.

Both phosphorous and sulfur are products of volcanic emissions. Among the elements of similar origin they are one of the lightest and capable of reactions. Their concentration in ancient ocean, apparently, reached the level necessary for the primary life forms early enough (in evolutionary sense.

All the elements considered above have in common the fact that they are abundant in all cells, organs, and tissues of both plant and animal organisms due to the properties mentioned above, i.e. they are evolutionarily "through", though the latter two occupy a comparatively small place with respect to weight as compared to the former four.

In the process of complication of living organisms their functions extended and specialized. For instance, with formation of skeleton the latter two elements were found in composition of bone structure, but with formation of blood system – in composition of sulfate and phosphate buffers of blood.

Those six elements, from the standpoint of biogenic classification, should be referred to the elements of the first group or the primary elements.

Cellular level of life and macroelements

Combination of six elements considered above could support before-cellular life level. Monocellular organisms are assumed to appear on the Earth in the littoral zones of the ancient ocean about 3 bill. years ago. Their appearance was the beginning of development of the first internal mineral homeostasis system: living matter gained the possibility to border from the external environment by means of developed cellular membrane, having its inner self being. For this purpose the development of buffer system was required that could be provided by cations, the concentration of which reached the optimum in the process of leaching at the earlier stages of mineral hydrosphere evolution – potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium, as well as anions of volcanic activity in addition to already used phosphorous and sulfur – chlorine.

The following aspect should be paid special attention. Most researchers dealing with chemistry of human body compare its mineral composition with that of contemporary land, whereas 90% of living organism evolution took place in the Ocean. In Table 3 the mineral composition of contemporary Ocean with mineral composition of some animal’s blood is compared. The Table presents the data obtained by different scientists. Apparently, on the basis of these data one can judge about the formation process of sodium-potassium pumping system in living cells.

Table 3