Investigation and analysis of selenium and T-2 toxin in internal and external environment in the historical critical diseased areas of Kaschin-Beck disease in Qinghai Province in 2018

Abstract

Objective To understand the current environmental selenium and T-2 toxin levels in the critically ill areas of Kaschin-Beck disease in Qinghai Province. Methods In three historical villages with serious diseases of Kaschin-Beck disease, Xia, Xiemalang and Yaoshidao were selected; at the same time, three villages from non-diseased areas were selected as control villages including Damitan, Gongba and Deang in 2018. Six villages were used as survey sites. Collected hair samples of children aged 6 - 12 years old, to measure the hair selenium content in Xinghai and Guide survey sites [children's selenium content reference value was (0.60 ± 0.03) mg/kg]. Ten samples of self-produced grain were collected from each survey site, selenium content [wheat selenium content reference value was (0.053 ± 0.007) mg/kg] and T-2 toxin content in grain was detected in the six survey sites. Ten soil samples were collected from each survey sites. Soil selenium content was detected in the six survey sites [soil selenium content reference value was (0.24 ± 0.03) mg/kg]. Results The selenium contents of children's hair in the diseased and non-diseased areas of Xinghai County, Guide County were (0.252 ± 0.071), (0.296 ± 0.087); (0.225 ± 0.032), (0.238 ± 0.040) mg/kg, respectively. The selenium contents of wheat in the diseased and non-diseased areas of the three counties were 0.000 19, 0.003 66; 0.000 15, 0.004 16; 0.016 78, 0.016 94 mg/kg. The soil selenium contents in the diseased and non-diseased areas of the three counties were (0.095 ± 0.015), (0.114 ± 0.014); (0.082 ± 0.013), (0.083 ± 0.018); (0.080 ± 0.005), (0.060 ± 0.013) mg/kg. The T-2 toxin contents of wheat in the diseased and non-diseased areas of the three counties were (3.173 ± 0.762), (3.100 ± 0.473); (2.506 ± 0.430), (3.186 ± 0.451); (2.416 ± 0.619), (2.879 ± 0.456) μg/kg. Conclusions The content of hair selenium of children is close to the normal reference value in the area of Kaschin-Beck disease in Qinghai Province. The contents of soil selenium and the main grain selenium of the residents are low in the diseased village. A certain amount of T-2 toxin is detected in the main grain of residential households. Key words: Kaschin-Beck disease; Selenium; Hair; Soil; T-2 toxin