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Regolith Microelements as Factors of Potential Hazard to Future Settlers on the Moon

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Abstract

The microelement composition of lunar soil was evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively, and its potential hazard to health of future Moon settlers was analyzed. Regoliths from four lunar regions were tested for chemical composition, and element contents were compared with terrestrial soil clarkes. The regolith samples examined in the study were collected in mare regions in the missions of Luna 16, Luna 24, Apollo 11, and Apollo 12. The concentrations of the microelements Cr, Ni, Co, Be, Sc, Y, Au, and Ag and the majority of lanthanides were found to be much higher than in terrestrial soils. A direct contact with high concentrations of these elements is likely to endanger health of settlers on the Moon.

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Funding

This work was supported by ongoing institutional funding. No additional grants to carry out or direct this particular research were obtained.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Platov South-Russian State Polytechnic University (Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute), Novocherkassk, Russia

    A. I. Gavrishin

  2. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

    I. V. Ivanov

  3. State Research Institute of Military Medicine, Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia

    I. V. Ivanov

Authors
  1. A. I. Gavrishin
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Correspondence to A. I. Gavrishin.

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Translated by T. Tkacheva

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Gavrishin, A.I., Ivanov, I.V. Regolith Microelements as Factors of Potential Hazard to Future Settlers on the Moon. Hum Physiol 49, 719–730 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119723070058

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