Health Applications of Naturally Aged Medicinal Mud

Abstract

The Copahue Thermal Complex is located in the northwest of the province of Neuquén, Argentina in the Ñorquín department. It lies near the Chilean border, 376 km from the capital of the province at 2,010 meters above sea level. The Copahue complex is located in a geothermally active area in a volcanic caldera, surrounded by multiple fumaroles, potholes, vents, springs and a series of mineromedicinal water lagoons. Copahue is a system of spring acid waters, hyperthermal and largely of high mineralization. The so-called "mother sulfur lagoon" consists of hyperthermal sulfated water, with a dry residue 110°C, 1075 mg /l; pH: 5.6 and chemical analysis shows the following mineral concentrations (mg / l): chlorine 2.7; fluoride 0.3; sulfate 586.3; sodium 29.3; potassium 19.1; lithium 0.02; calcium 44.6; magnesium 11.3; total iron 2.2; ammonium 54.8. The mother sulfur lagoon produces mud that is composed of: smectite (39%), kaolinite (6%), silica (6%), pyrite (2%), alunite (2%), iron oxides (4%), and a strong presence of sulfur at 39%. The contact water maintains an acid pH of the order of 2.5 to 3, and contains dissolved substances on the order of 700 to 1000 mg / l, while the temperature of the water and the mud of this lagoon is one of the highest among the natural manifestations of Copahue. Regarding the mud, it can be added that it is an excellent adsorbent, has an ion exchange capacity of the order of 10 meq / g, and a cooling kinetics that makes it an adequate material to achieve thermal effects associated with its application. This lagoon is the main producer of mud used in the cabins. In terms of medical applications, sulfur is a particularly important component, which as pure mineral has disinfectant, keratolytic and antiseptic properties, and can also be transformed to give rise to other minerals that contain sulfur (in forms reduced and oxidized) such as alunite and pyrite. At the same time, both kaolinite and smectite act as excellent adsorbents, dermal protectors and give softness to peloids, while improving their thermal properties. The microbiological richness that it possesses is also an