Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
We identified both crystalline and amorphous phase of human spleen particles. The silicon particles in the spleen were 10-30 μm large. Silicon, silicon-aluminium and silicon-calcium particles by EDX were found. We assume that the silicon must enter the organism from the external environment and the presence of silicon in the human spleen is consequence of the cleaning function of human spleen.
Mössbauer spectroscopy of studied tissues revealed different phase of iron oxide in the human spleen. On the ground of this consideration we can claim all samples of investigated tissues exhibit presence of two different paramagnetic iron phases, both based on three-valent (Fe3+) atoms. Consequently only 4 different iron-oxides correspond with experimental results. Multielemental composition of iron particles was found by EDX analysis. We suppose that pH and time are significant factors influence biomineralization of iron in the human spleen.