Assessment of the Chemical Composition of Shungite of the Zazhoginsky Field for Its Use in Biotechnology

Abstract—

The paper reports original data on concentration levels of a broad spectrum of major (Ca, Na, Mg, and K), minor and trace elements, including heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Mo, Co, Ni, As, Br, Pb, Cd, Sn, Ga, Ge, Te, Ta, Al, Rb, Ba, Sr, Cs, Zr, In, Sb, Hf, W, Re, Tl, Th, and U) and REE (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) in the solid phase of shungite and general tendencies in the transfer of these elements into water extractant of fullerene (C₆₀). A modified technique for obtaining water shungite extract (WSE) is adapted to be used in biotechnologies. REE can be efficiently chelated from the extract using the EDTA complexonate with the subsequent visualization of the interaction effect using conventional crystalloscopic techniques. Shungite was determined to suppress pathogenic microbial flora. The impact of WSE on nanobacteria, the virions of foot-and-mouth disease virus, and other nanostructures is likely explained by that the shungite contains REE, whose cations chemically bind with negatively charged phosphate residues in the cell membranes and nucleic acids to form conglomerates. Data acquired on shungite from the Zagozhinskoe field make it possible to develop biotechnologies for serum purification of various bacteria, viruses, and nanobacteria.