TRACE ELEMENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does trace element mean? 

• TRACE ELEMENT (noun)
  The noun TRACE ELEMENT has 1 sense:

1. an element that occurs at very small quantities in the body but is nonetheless important for many biological processes

  Familiarity information: TRACE ELEMENT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TRACE ELEMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An element that occurs at very small quantities in the body but is nonetheless important for many biological processes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("trace element" is a kind of...):

chemical element; element (any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter)

 Context examples 

The electrolyte-free parenteral nutrition emulsion contains no electrolytes, trace elements and vitamins.

(Electrolyte-free Parenteral Nutrition Emulsion, NCI Thesaurus)

Dietary components include drinking water, alcoholic beverages, and vitamin and trace element supplements.

(Nutrition, Other, NCI Thesaurus)

Role of trace elements in cancer causation or prevention and in general health.

(Nutrition, Trace Elements, NCI Thesaurus)

Brassica juncea hyperaccumulates trace elements in soil.

(high-selenium Brassica juncea, NCI Thesaurus)

Considered a trace element, fluoride is any combination of elements containing the fluorine atom in the -1 oxidation state (fluoride ion).

(Fluoride Ion, NCI Thesaurus)

A selenium (Se) analogue of methionine in which sulfur is replaced with the trace element selenium.

(DL-Selenomethionine, NCI Thesaurus)

Stalagmites are cave pillars made largely of calcium carbonate or limestone, in association with trace elements such as magnesium, that is precipitated by rainwater.

(Cave stalagmites reveal India’s rainfall secrets, SciDev.Net)

A baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) containing high levels of the trace element selenium (Se) with potential chemopreventive, immunomodulating and antioxidant activities.

(High-Selenium Baker's Yeast, NCI Thesaurus)

Although the exact composition of nutrients in bee pollen differs depending on various factors, in general it contains important nutrients including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carotenes, antioxidants, trace elements, carbohydrates as well as other unidentified substances.

(Bee Pollen, NCI Thesaurus)

The mantle abundances of certain trace elements such as platinum, iridium and gold, which tend to bond chemically with metallic iron, are much higher than what would be expected to result from core formation.

(NASA-funded Simulations Show How Massive Collisions Delivered Metal to Early Earth, NASA)