6 UNITY AND DIVERSITY IN BIOCHEMISTRY 



number of trace elements having a known function increase proportion- 

 ately. All the more reason, therefore, to treat warily any such idea as that of 

 an element of biochemical importance. 



The lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the biosphere are made up, 

 qualitatively, of the same elements and only differ in the relative proportions 

 of these elements. 



REFERENCES 



Conway, E. J. (1943) The chemical evolution of the ocean. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. 



(B), 48, 161-212. 

 Leuthardt (1941) MineralstoflFwechsel, Erg. d. Physiol., 44, 588-655. 

 Mason, B. (1952) Principles of Geochemistry, Wiley, New York. 



