Ask A Scientist Zoology Archive

name         Debra F. P.
status       educator
age          40s

Question -   What is the chemical composition of the human body by
element and %?
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Dry weight %

Carbon...       61.7
Nitrogen..      11.0
Oxygen..        9.3
Hydrogen...     5.7
Calcium..       5.0
Phosphorus..3.3
Potassium..     1.3
Sulfur..        1.0
Chlorine..      0.7
Sodium..        0.7
Magnesium..0.3

Trace amounts of  B, F Si, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Sn, I.
There are some arguments as to the importance of other trace elements.  If
you happen to know a farmer with cows or cattle, take a look at the
nutritional contents of "calf pellets" and you can see what they think a
calf needs in its diet to be healthy...we are just another mammal.

Peter Faletra Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Office of Science
Department of Energy
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The chemical composition, by compound, would be extremely long. The
chemical composition, by element, can be found on a number of web sites.
Search with www.google.com
for "elemental composition human body". The following web site give the most
complete list of elements that I found.
http://web2.iadfw.net/uthman/elements_of_body.html

Vince Calder
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