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==Introduction to medical geology==

==Introduction to medical geology==

Rocks are the fundamental building blocks of the Earth’s surface, containing a multitude of minerals and chemical elements. These rocks are broken down by weathering processes which restructure the minerals to form the soils on which crops and animals are raised.<ref name=Setal2001>Selinus, O., J. A. Centeno, R. B. Finkelman, P. Weistein, and E. Derbyshire, 2001, Earth and Health– building a safer environment. Planet Earth, 1, 1-16.</ref> Through the consumption of plants and animals− i.e. the food chain− man comes in contact with those elements originally in the rocks. Should the rock/soil be deficient in a particular element such as iodine, the effect would manifest as adverse health effects on the consumers. On the other hand, if there is excess concentration of a particular element such as arsenic in the rock/soil, the health of the consumer is equally at risk.<ref name=S&F2011>Selinus, O. and R. B. Finkelman, 2011. Geochemical Aspects of Medical Geology. Journal of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka, 14, 01-09.</ref>

Rocks are the fundamental building blocks of the Earth’s surface, containing a multitude of minerals and chemical elements. These rocks are broken down by weathering processes which restructure the minerals to form the soils on which crops and animals are raised.<ref name=Setal2001>Selinus, O., J. A. Centeno, R. B. Finkelman, P. Weistein, and E. Derbyshire, 2001, Earth and Health—building a safer environment: Planet Earth, v. 1, p. 1–16.</ref> Through the consumption of plants and animals—i.e. the food chain—man comes in contact with those elements originally in the rocks. Should the rock/soil be deficient in a particular element such as iodine, the effect would manifest as adverse health effects on the consumers. On the other hand, if there is excess concentration of a particular element such as arsenic in the rock/soil, the health of the consumer is equally at risk.<ref name=S&F2011>Selinus, O. and R. B. Finkelman, 2011, Geochemical aspects of medical geology: Journal of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka, v. 14, p. 1–9.</ref>

The intake of contaminated groundwater exposes the consumer to the risk of injecting harmful elements into the body system. Groundwater is made available to man as springs, rivers, lakes and through man-made wells.

The intake of contaminated groundwater exposes the consumer to the risk of injecting harmful elements into the body system. Groundwater is made available to man as springs, rivers, lakes and through man-made wells.

Volcanism is another geologic process that poses potential harm to human health, ejecting tons of different poisonous gases and volcanic ash. These travel kilometers round the planet to be inhaled by people at different radii from the vent thereby causing diverse toxicity problems in the victims.<ref name=Skinner>Skinner, H. C. W., 2007, The Earth,Source of Health and Hazards: An Introduction to Medical Geology. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 35,177–213.</ref>

Volcanism is another geologic process that poses potential harm to human health, ejecting tons of different poisonous gases and volcanic ash. These travel kilometers round the planet to be inhaled by people at different radii from the vent thereby causing diverse toxicity problems in the victims.<ref name=Skinner>Skinner, H. C. W., 2007, The Earth, a source of health and hazards: An introduction to medical geology: Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, v. 35, p. 177–213.</ref>

In addition, dust from deserts is a source of health hazard to man. The harmattan season for example, comes with moments of increased asthma torments and various sorts of nasal difficulties such as catarrh as it has the potential to transport soil pathogens to distant regions. It has been confirmed that dust from the Sahara travels across the Mediterranean Sea to the hinterlands of Europe and to North America.<ref name=Sel2004>Selinus, O., 2004. Medical Geology: An Emerging Specialty. Terrae, 1(1), 8-15.</ref>

In addition, dust from deserts is a source of health hazard to man. The harmattan season for example, comes with moments of increased asthma torments and various sorts of nasal difficulties such as catarrh as it has the potential to transport soil pathogens to distant regions. It has been confirmed that dust from the Sahara travels across the Mediterranean Sea to the hinterlands of Europe and to North America.<ref name=Sel2004>Selinus, O., 2004. Medical Geology: An Emerging Specialty. Terrae, 1(1), 8-15.</ref>