Molybdenum

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Molybdenum
2D structure for Molybdenum
Chemical Name	molybdenum
Chemical Formula	Mo
CAS Number	7439-98-7
Chemical Information	HMDB01302
Biochemical Taxonomy	Minerals and Elements
Functional Taxonomy	Not Available
Nutritional Taxonomy	Minerals
Metabolic Pathways	Not Available
Biofluid Location	Blood Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Urine
Tissue Location	Brain
Normal Biofluid Concentrations	Blood: 0.006 (0.0029 - 0.012) uM Blood: 0.0094 +/- 0.005 uM Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF): 0.01 +/- 0.009 uM Urine: 0.06 +/- 0.03 umol/mmol creatinine
Normal Tissue Concentrations	Not Available
Diseases / Conditions Related to Nutrition	Alzheimer's Disease Multiple Sclerosis
Other (Monogenic Disorders)	Molybdenum cofactor deficiency OMIM: 252150 Sulfocysteinuria OMIM: 272300 Xanthinuria, type I OMIM: 278300
Abnormal Biofluid Concentrations	Blood (Alzheimer's Disease): 0.012 +/- 0.0059 uM Blood (Multiple Sclerosis): .022 +/- 0.0085 uM
Abnormal Tissue Concentrations	Not Available
Physiological Processes	Not Available

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Introduction

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Molybdenum is a transition metal with the atomic symbol Mo, atomic number 42, and atomic weight 95.94. The pure metal is silvery white in color, fairly soft, and has one of the highest melting points of all pure elements. It is an essential trace element, being a component of the enzymes xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, and nitrate reductase. There is a trace requirement for molybdenum in plants, and soils can be barren due to molybdenum deficiencies. Plants and animals generally have molybdenum present in amounts of a few parts per million. In animals molybdenum is a cofactor of the enzyme xanthine oxidase which is involved in the pathways of purine degradation and formation of uric acid. In some animals, adding a small amount of dietary molybdenum enhances growth. Francis Crick suggested that since molybdenum is an essential trace element that plays an important role in many enzymatic reactions, despite being less abundant than the more common elements, such as chromium and nickel, that perhaps this fact is indicative of "Panspermia." Crick theorized that if it could be shown that the elements represented in terrestrial living organisms correlate closely with those that are abundant in some class of star - molybdenum stars, for example, that this would provide evidence of such Directed Panspermia. In small quantities, molybdenum is effective at hardening steel. Molybdenum is important in plant nutrition, and is found in certain enzymes, including xanthine oxidase. Molybdenum is used to this day in high-strength alloys and in high-temperature steels. Special molybdenum-containing alloys, such as the Hastelloys, are notably heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant. Molybdenum is used in oil pipelines, aircraft and missile parts, and in filaments. Molybdenum finds use as a catalyst in the petroleum industry, especially in catalysts for removing organic sulfurs from petroleum products. It is used to form the anode in some x-ray tubes, particularly in mammography applications. And is found in some electronic applications as the conductive metal layers in thin-film transistors (TFTs). Molybdenum disulfide is a good lubricant, especially at high temperatures. And Mo-99 is used in the nuclear isotope industry. Molybdenum pigments range from red-yellow to a bright red orange and are used in paints, inks, plastics, and rubber compounds.