That weird metal smell and taste
27 November 2006
by Carina Lee
Metal-free chemicals erupting into the air when organic substances like sweat interact with metallic objects is the cause of that metallic smell/taste, not the actual metal by itself. Researchers from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg have discovered the reason for that weird smell of metal. The investigation led researchers from the institute to a study linking the interaction of biological systems and metal ions such as iron. The iron in our bodies is part of a protein complex known as haemoglobin present in the blood. The research group, headed by Andrea Dietrich, found that the odour produced from the metal interaction is not an intrinsic property of the metal itself; rather it is simply a by-product of the reacting species. Dietrich explains “We are the first to demonstrate that when humans describe the 'metallic' odour of iron metal, there are no iron atoms in the odours. The odours humans perceive as metallic are really a body odour produced by metals reacting with skin.” Not only does this breakthrough have advantages in the evolutionary field dealing with predator-prey relations, but it also brings up many economically and medically viable strategies to deal with water treatment and disease markers, respectively.
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The odours humans perceive as metallic are really a body odour produced by metals reacting with skin. image:gallery.hd.org |
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