High Selenium Concentrations Research Articles

Anthropometry before Day 46 and Growth Velocity before 6 Months of Guatemalan Breastfed Infants Are Associated with Subclinical Mastitis and Milk Cytokines, Minerals, and Trace Elements

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is an inflammatory condition of the mammary gland, but its association with human milk composition and infant growth is not well described. We investigated whether SCM, milk cytokines, and/or estimated intakes of milk minerals and trace elements were associated with infant anthropometry or growth velocity before 6 mo. Breast milk was collected from Mam-Mayan mothers (n=114) at both early (2-46 d) and established (4-6 mo) lactation. Concentrations of 9 elements (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, selenium, zinc) analyzed by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to estimate infants' daily intakes. Concentrations of 4 cytokines were measured. Milk concentrations and infants' estimated elemental intakes and anthropometric measurements during early and established lactation were compared by SCM status. Multiple regression was used to identify factors associated with infant growth attainment (<46 d) for infant weight- (WAZ), length- (LAZ), and head circumference-for-age (HCAZ) and weight-for-length (WLZ) z scores and with growth velocity (expressed as Δ/d) from early to established lactation. SCM prevalence was higher in early (30%) than established (10%) lactation. Breast milk of SCM mothers had higher cytokine concentrations and higher magnesium in early and higher selenium concentrations in both early and established lactation (Padj<0.0121). At day 46, regression models showed inverse associations of SCM with WLZ and IL-1β with LAZ (Padj<0.0150). In contrast, linear growth velocity was positively associated with IL-1β measured in early lactation (Padj<0.0124), whereas cranial growth velocity was positively associated with IL-8 measured during established lactation ( Padj<0.0124). Despite a high prevalence of inadequate intakes, only infants' intake of milk magnesium during early lactation was associated with linear growth velocity in breastfed infants <6 mo. Evidence shows that SCM, breast-milk cytokines, and infants' estimated intakes of select elements are independently associated with growth attainment and growth velocity during lactation.

Fabrication of dynamic zero-valent iron/MnO2 nanowire membrane for efficient and recyclable selenium separation

Controllable selenium separation processes are essential from the viewpoint of human health, electronics industry and environmental protection due to the vital role of selenium in the human body and photovoltaic devices, and the adverse impacts emanating from selenium pollution in surface and groundwater by the highly toxic and high lethal at higher selenium concentrations. Herein, a dynamic zero-valent iron/MnO2 nanowire hybrid membranes (ZVINM) with high chemical activity and excellent recoverability have been developed based on in situ chemical deposition nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) on the surface of ultralong MnO2 nanowires to self-assemble into to hybrid membrane, and the applicability of this hybrid membrane for selenium separation was evaluated. To investigate the retention efficiency, the selenium separation behavior on ZVINM was examined by various separation conditions such as operating pressures, selenium concentrations and NZVI content, solution pH, interfering ions and penetration times. The as-prepared ZVINM shows excellent separation performance with the maximum retention efficiency of 95%. The appropriate selenium separation on ZVINM was obtained at an acidic pH range of 2–6 with a high separation efficiency (over 85%), and the rejection rate was decreased by increasing solution pH, indicating that the selenium separation process was promoted under strong acid conditions and inhibited under strong alkali environment. In addition, it was found that the carbonate ions and higher selenium concentration have a strong inhibitory effect on selenium separation. More importantly, the ZVINM is demonstrated to have excellent selenium recoverability and regenerative because of its dynamic coating characteristics. Therefore, the high selenium retention efficiency and excellent recycling capabilities of ZVINM make the hybrid membrane as a potential candidate for practical application in selenium separation.

Maternal Selenium, Copper and Zinc Concentrations in Early Pregnancy, and the Association with Fertility.

Trace elements such as zinc, copper, and selenium are essential for reproductive health, but there is limited work examining how circulating trace elements may associate with fertility in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the association between maternal plasma concentrations of zinc, copper, and selenium, and time to pregnancy and subfertility. Australian women (n = 1060) who participated in the multi-centre prospective Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints study were included. Maternal plasma concentrations of copper, zinc and selenium were assessed at 15 ± 1 weeks’ gestation. Estimates of retrospectively reported time to pregnancy were documented as number of months to conceive; subfertility was defined as taking more than 12 months to conceive. A range of maternal and paternal adjustments were included. Women who had lower zinc (time ratio, 1.20 (0.99–1.44)) or who had lower selenium concentrations (1.19 (1.01–1.40)) had a longer time to pregnancy, equivalent to a median difference in time to pregnancy of around 0.6 months. Women with low selenium concentrations were also at a 1.46 (1.06–2.03) greater relative risk for subfertility compared to women with higher selenium concentrations. There were no associations between copper and time to pregnancy or subfertility. Lower selenium and zinc trace element concentrations, which likely reflect lower dietary intakes, associate with a longer time to pregnancy. Further research supporting our work is required, which may inform recommendations to increase maternal trace element intake in women planning a pregnancy.

Coal mining‐derived ochres in the UK: a potential selenium trap

Thanks to the pioneering research of Paul Younger over the past 20 years, acid mine drainage in the UK has been recognized as a major environmental issue. Acid mine drainage and hydrous ferric oxide deposition are environmental hazards resulting from centuries of extensive coal mining activities across the UK. Oxidative weathering of pyrite in coal from spoil heaps and exposed bedrock can liberate trace elements, releasing them into local water systems. In addition to posing an environmental threat through water and ground contamination, ochres can also act as a remediation material, trapping elements such as selenium. Trace elements with a close association to iron oxides, such as selenium, may fix to the fine‐grained ochre materials, resulting in hyper‐enriched ochres. Selenium in coals has been known to cause an environmental issue in areas of North America but is also an important commodity for solar cells and nanotechnologies. Coal‐bearing areas of the UK, such as Northumberland, are known to contain a high selenium content, and coal‐derived ochres in these regions also contain significant selenium. The widespread occurrence of ochres in UK coal‐mining regions may therefore present a unique ‘E tech’ trace element source and prevent a toxicity problem for which they were once thought to be responsible.

Distribution and sources of trace element pollutants in the sediments of the industrialised Port Kembla Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

A detailed geochemical analysis of sediment samples from the heavily industrialised Port Kembla Harbour, 70 km south of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, has delineated areas that are heavily contaminated with trace element pollutants. Local creek delta sand accumulations, basin mud deposits, reclamation deposits and exposed bedrock on the present harbour floor are consistent with the twentieth century Port Kembla industrial land and harbour development history, as well as known maritime shipping practices. The closed electrolytic copper refinery, one of the two major pollutant sources, has provided a very clear signature in the harbour opposite the main drain that discharged from these works. Copper pollution (up to 6070 mg/kg) is strongly correlated with high concentrations of gold, selenium, antimony, arsenic, lead and zinc. These pollutants appear to occur as silt- and sand-sized particulate matter, as well as pollutants that are probably chemically bound to clay, pyrite and organic matter. The second main pollutant source is the BlueScope steelworks that has been responsible for high concentrations of iron (and minor associated cobalt), kish, pyrolytic carbon and fly ash. The steelworks, along with other industrial, urban and automobile sources, supply additional quantities of copper, lead and zinc to the aquatic environment. Coal and coke dust also form important pollutants. The pollutants are currently fairly stable under the prevailing alkaline reducing conditions within the sediment. The proposed future reclamation and dredging within the harbour needs to consider the implications of moving highly contaminated sediment, without altering its alkalinity or oxidation potential, to prevent release of contaminants.

Increasing Selenium and Vitamin E in Dairy Cow Milk Improves the Quality of the Milk as Food for Children

In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of milk biofortified with antioxidants on the health of children. Two experiments were conducted: experiment one evaluated the milk of 24 Jersey dairy cows (450 ± 25 kg of body weight (BW); 60 ± 30 days in milk dry matter intake (DIM)) given different diet treatments (CON = control diet; COANT = diet with vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants; OIL = diet with sunflower oil; and OANT = diet with sunflower oil containing more vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants), and experiment two evaluated the effect of the milk produced in the first experiment on the health of children (CON = control diet; COANT = diet with vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants; OIL = diet with sunflower oil; OANT = diet with sunflower oil containing more vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants; and SM = skim milk). One hundred children (8 to 10 years old) were evaluated in the second experiment. Blood samples were collected at 0 days of milk intake and 28 and 84 days after the start of milk intake. The cows fed the COANT and OANT diets showed greater selenium and vitamin E concentrations in their milk (p = 0.001), and the children who consumed the milk from those cows had higher concentrations of selenium and vitamin E in their blood (p = 0.001). The platelet (p = 0.001) and lymphocyte (p = 0.001) concentrations were increased in the blood of the children that consumed milk from cows fed the OANT diet compared to those in the children that consumed SM (p = 0.001). The children who consumed milk from cows fed the OIL diet treatment had increased concentrations of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol in their blood at the end of the supplementation period compared to children who consumed SM. The results of this study demonstrate that the consumption of biofortified milk increases the blood concentrations of selenium and vitamin E in children, which may be beneficial to their health.

Transcriptional profiling of Auricularia cornea in selenium accumulation

Auricularia cornea is a widely cultivated edible fungus with substantial nutritive value. This study aimed to enrich the multifunctional bionutrient element selenium in A. cornea to improve its quality and explore the accumulation of selenium in the fungus using high-throughput RNA-Seq technology. In general, the treatment group with a 100 µg/g supply of selenium outperformed the other treatment groups in terms of high yield, rich crude polysaccharides and a high total selenium concentration. Additional evidences demonstrated the budding and mature phases were two typical growth stages of A. cornea and were important for the accumulation of selenium. Therefore, the budding and mature phase tissues of A. cornea in the treatment group with a 100 µg/g supply of selenium were used for transcriptome analysis and compared to those of a control group that lacked additional selenium. A total of 2.56 × 105 unigenes from A. cornea transcriptome were assembled and annotated to five frequently used databases including NR, GO, KEGG, eggNOG and SwissProt. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that genes involved in metabolic process and translation were up-expressed at the budding stage in response to selenium supplementation, including amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, ribosome. In addition, the differential gene expression patterns of A. cornea suggested that the up-expressed genes were more likely to be detected at the budding stage than at the mature stage. These results provide insights into the transcriptional response of A. cornea to selenium accumulation.

Controlled, Facile Synthesis of High Aspect Ratio Silver Indium Selenide Nanorods

We herein report a facile synthesis of AgInSe2 nanorods with a high aspect ratio in the aqueous phase via a completely green method without the use of any surfactant or template. It was found that the amount of selenium precursor concentration has greater control over the morphology of the nanocrystals. The higher concentration of selenium (Ag:In:Se = 1:4:6.2) in the reaction produced long nanorods with a high aspect ratio (> 30) together with few spherical nanocrystals, whereas the lower Se concentration of selenium (Ag:In: Se = 1:4:3.75 or 3.85) produced aggregates of spherical particles with particle diameter of 5.2 ± 0.4 nm. We inferred that increase in the reaction kinetic drive coupled with slower growth rate as the selenium concentration increased enhanced more interaction between the existing spherical particles in the product solution and resulted in the formation of elongated particles. This method is simple, cost-effective and eco-friendly for the synthesis of Se based ternary semiconductor nanorods.

Abstract P220: Whole Blood Selenium Concentration is Inversely Associated With Prevalence of Stroke: Results From the Canadian Health Measures Survey and the US National Health and Nutrition Examine Survey

Introduction: Each year, over 140,000 Americans and 10,000 Canadians die from stroke. Selenium is an essential trace element involved in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory processes, as well as in intracellular redox regulation and modulation. Observational studies have suggested that Se may have beneficial effects on certain cancer and cardiovascular outcomes. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that blood selenium concentration might be inversely associated with prevalence of stroke and the relationship between blood selenium and prevalence of stroke would be non-linear. Methods: Adult respondents (aged 20 and over) from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS 2007-2011, n = 7065) and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-2012, n = 5030) were analyzed. Age, sex, and other major risk factors for stroke were comparable between the two datasets. Whole blood and urinary selenium were measured in the CHMS, whole blood and serum selenium were measured in the NHANES. First, we examined the differences in selenium concentrations by stroke status. Second, we used logistic regressions to investigate the difference in prevalence of stroke by whole blood Se tertiles, adjusting for established risk factors. Third, we quantified the potential non-linear association between Se and stroke by restricted cubic spline regression. Results: A total of 82 (1.16%) and 202 (4.02%) stroke cases were identified in CHMS and NHANES, respectively. Respondents with stroke had lower Se levels comparing with those without stroke, with a mean difference of 16 μg/L in CHMS and 12 μg/L in NHANES, respectively. Respondents with high blood selenium concentration (tertile 3) had a lower prevalence of stroke compared to those with low selenium concentration (tertile 1). The adjusted odds ratios were 0.38 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.92) and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.31, 1.03) for CHMS and NHANES, respectively. A continuous decreasing trend of stroke with whole blood selenium was observed in CHMS, whereas the curve plateaued starting at 190 μg/L for NHANES, based on cubic restricted spline regression. Each 10-μg/L increase in whole blood selenium was associated with a 14% decreased prevalence of stroke in CHMS and 19% in NHANES. Sensitivity analysis using serum and urinary selenium demonstrate that our results were consistent across different selenium biomarkers. Conclusion: We observed inverse cross-sectional associations between whole blood Se and prevalence of stroke in representative samples of the Canadian and the US population.

Effects of crop system and genotype on yield, quality, antioxidants and chemical composition of organically grown leek

The research was carried out in order to assess the effects of nine cultivars in factorial combination with an open field or greenhouse growing on yield, quality indicators, antioxidants and elemental composition of leek in Moscow region. Greenhouse management resulted in higher yield compared to open field cultivation, due to higher mean pseudo-stem weight, and cultivar Giraffe gave the highest production. Pseudo-stem dry matter was better affected by greenhouse cultivation, whereas the content of monosaccharides, total sugars, nitrates, ascorbic acid, and polyphenols was enhanced by open field growing. The cultivars Vesta and Summer breeze showed the highest dry matter and total sugar content, whereas Goliath had the highest antioxidant, selenium, and potassium concentration. Among the mineral elements, K and Mg in pseudo-stems were better affected by greenhouse conditions, whereas Ca attained a higher concentration under open field growing. The antioxidant system of A porrum was characterized by significant positive correlations between Se, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and potassium

STANDARD OF ORGANIZATION FOR GARLIC POWDER ENRICHED WITH SELENIUM

The requirements for garlic powder enriched with selenium, dried by convective drying and homogenized, are established. Selenium-enriched vegetables have special healing properties and are of interest as a source of selenium. Garlic enriched with selenium is grown in a number of countries (including the USA, Sabinsa) and produced in the form of capsules, tablets and granules (BAA), as drugs that can protect against cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The technical conditions of dried garlic with a high content of selenium were studied and identified. Based on these indicators, a standard has been developed «Dried garlic with high content of selenium. Technical conditions». The standard was developed for the first time for the Russian Federation. Sodium selenate was applied to the soil with a total dose of 75 mg / m 2 For drying, garlic bulbs in biological ripeness, standard and non-standard, without damage by diseases and pests were used. Cloves were peeled, ground, and dried in a drying cabinet at a temperature of 70°C to constant weight. The resulting material was homogenized, the powder was stored in tightly sealed plastic bags.

Оптимизация технологических параметров биомодификации свойств мяса страуса с применением коллагеназы

Domestic and international experience confirm the expediency of enzymes in meat industry. Enzymes are used for biomodification proposes when it goes about raw materials with the high-content of connective tissue, e.g. chopped semi-finished products, delicatessen, sausages, etc. Ostrich meat is an advantageous source of functional food products due to its high content of native protein, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, and group B vitamins and low contents of cholesterol. However, a significant amount of connective tissue makes it rigid. Application of collagenase improves the functional and technological properties of minced meat and product yield. The purpose of the present research was to optimize the technological parameters of fermented ostrich minced meat by the method of multifactorial experiment planning. The ostrich thighs parts were produced on the territory of the Leningrad Region. The authors used the fractional factorial experiment to study the influence of three factors on response functions: the mass fraction of collagenase (C, the coded variable X1), the holding time (τ, the coded variable X2), and the holding temperature (t, the coded variable X3). The values of moisture-holding ability (Y1) and the content of amino nitrogen (Y2) were chosen as response functions. The study had the following parameters of fermentation at the main level and the interval of variation: C0 = 0,04%, ΔC = 0,02%; τ0 = 4 hr, Δτ = 2 hr; t0 = 12o C, Δt = 7oC. The experiment resulted in a matrix of experiment planning and several regression equations, which describe the process in question. The study revealed the optimal technological parameters of minced meat fermentation with collagenase: mass fraction of collagenase was 0.05% while the duration of exposure of minced meat was 4.5 hours at t = 13°C. These technological parameters allowed the authors to obtain minced meat with better organoleptic characteristics and functional and technological properties in comparison with those of the control sample. The obtained fermented minced meat and the selected regimes are recommended for chopped semi-finished products, cooked sausages, and meat-vegetable canned foods.

Changes in blood pressure associated with lead, manganese, and selenium in a Bangladeshi cohort

BackgroundHeavy metal contamination is widespread in Bangladesh. Previous studies have observed lead increases blood pressure over time. However, the role of other metal contaminants and essential micronutrients, which could also adversely affect blood pressure or act as protective factors, is understudied. ObjectivesWe therefore evaluated the associations of lead, manganese, and selenium with blood and pulse pressure trajectories. MethodsWe prospectively followed placebo-assigned participants nested within a randomized trial for the prevention of arsenic-related skin cancer (n = 255). Blood lead, manganese, and selenium were measured at baseline; blood pressure was measured at baseline and at 3 biennial follow-up examinations. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to estimate associations with average annual changes in systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure. ResultsIn models simultaneously adjusted for baseline blood lead, manganese, and selenium concentrations in addition to other potential confounders, lead was linearly associated with increases in systolic blood pressure, but not with diastolic blood pressure or pulse pressure. A non-linear association was observed for manganese, such that mid-range concentrations were associated with decreases in systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure. Baseline selenium concentrations in the highest quartile were also associated with longitudinal decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while null associations were observed with pulse pressure. In exploratory analyses, the combination of mid-range manganese and high selenium concentrations completely offset lead-associated increases in blood and pulse pressure. ConclusionsThe results indicate a direct, linear association of lead exposure with systolic blood pressure, and manganese and selenium exposures within certain ranges may have a blood pressure-lowering effect in this population.

THE EFFECT OF NANOSCALE SELENIUM ON THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF RING ROT AND POTATO IN VITRO

The biological activity of biopolymer-based selenium nanocomposite with a high selenium content of 6.4% was investigated. It was shown earlier that nanocomposites of selenium and arabinogalactan (NC Se/AG, 1.23% and 3.4% Se) have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect on the pathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (Cms) and do not adversely affect the vitality of potato plants in vitro. In this work, it was shown that the nanocomposite under scrutiny has a bacteriostatic effect, inhibits bacterial growth by 20% compared with the check variant and reduces the ability of Cms to form biofilms, which contribute to their high resistance to external factors. In the experiments conducted on plants, it was shown, there was not negative effect of NC Se/AG on biometric parameters, furthermore, this NC reduces the negative effect of potato infection with Cms. The nanocomposite reduced the activity of peroxidase and the content of reactive oxygen species in potato tissues. It was established that selenium does not accumulate in potato plants after the treatment with NC Se/AG. The results obtained allow us to consider NC Se/AG (6.4% Se) as an agent for healing cultivated plants from pathogenic bacteria.

Plasma selenium influences arsenic methylation capacity and developmental delays in preschool children in Taiwan

Inefficient arsenic methylation capacity has been associated with developmental delay in preschool children. Selenium has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect experimental animals from chemically induced neurotoxicity. The present study was designed to explore whether plasma selenium levels affects arsenic methylation capacity related to developmental delay in preschool children. A case-control study was conducted from August 2010 to March 2014. All participants were recruited from the Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Teaching Hospital. In total, 178 children with a developmental delay and 88 children without a delay were recruited. High-performance liquid chromatography-linked hydride generator and atomic absorption spectrometry were used to determine urinary arsenic species, including arsenite (AsIII), arsenate (AsV), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAV), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAV). Plasma selenium levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. As results, plasma selenium concentration was significantly inversely associated with the odds ratio (OR) of developmental delay. Plasma selenium concentration was positively associated with arsenic methylation capacity [percentage of inorganic arsenic and percentage of MMAV (MMAV%) decreased, and percentage of DMAV (DMAV%) increased]. High plasma selenium concentration and high DMA% significantly and additively interacted to decrease the OR of developmental delay; the OR and 95% confidence interval were 0.40 (0.18–0.90). This is the first study to show a combined dose-response effect of plasma selenium concentration and that efficient arsenic methylation capacity decreased the OR of developmental delay in preschool children.

Study on selenium accumulation characteristics of different ploidies Solanum nigrum

The selenium accumulation characteristics of Solanum nigrum with different ploidy were studied by the pot experiment, and the biomass, selenium content and selenium accumulation of diploid (Solanum photeinocarpum), tetraploid (Solanum photeinocarpum) and hexaploid (Solanum nigrum) plants were determined, the results showed that there was a difference between the biomass and selenium content of three kinds of ploidy plants of S. nigrum. The biomass of various organs and shoots of hexaploid S. nigrum plants was significantly higher than that of tetraploid and diploid plants. In terms of selenium content and selenium accumulation, the hexaploid plants had the highest selenium content and selenium accumulation in stems, leaves and shoots. After comprehensive comparison, the hexaploid S. nigrum has large biomass and strong selenium-enriching ability, so it can be used as an excellent plant material for soil selenium absorption and transformation.

Effects of Different Selenium Concentrations on Physiology of Prunus davidiana Seedlings

To study the effects of selenium on physiology, Prunus davidiana seedlings were treated with the irrigation of different selenium concentrations solution. The result showed that the photosynthetic pigment content was relatively higher at selenium concentrations of 0, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/L except for carotenoid content which was the highest at 0.1 mg/L but the lowest in control seedlings. In terms of antioxidant enzyme activity, the activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in selenium-treated seedlings were all higher than that in control seedlings and especially at the selenium concentration of 1 mg/L. The soluble protein content accumulated most at 0.25 mg/L selenium concentration. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), as membrane lipid peroxidation index, was the lowest at selenium concentration of 0.5 mg/L. In a word, irrigating lower selenium concentrations could increase the photosynthetic pigment content and higher selenium concentrations enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activity to increase cell protection and kept the P. davidiana seedlings good growth and resistance to adverse environments.

Is selenium intake associated with the presence of depressive symptoms among US adults? Findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014.

This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional association between dietary and serum selenium measures and depressive symptoms among a nationally representative sample of US adults. Dietary selenium intake and serum selenium concentration were evaluated on 7725 adult participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. Participants' selenium intake, assessed by 24-h recall, was classified based on the recommended dietary allowance (dietary selenium intake ≥ 55 μg/d) and estimated average requirement (dietary selenium intake ≥ 45 μg/d) criteria. Serum selenium and depressive symptoms were assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and a patient health questionnaire or use of an antidepressant, respectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, accounting for the complex survey design of NHANES, were employed to estimate the cross-sectional association between measures of selenium and the presence of depressive symptoms. The median selenium concentration was 193.9 µg/L (interquartile range = 179.3-209.3). Approximately 8% of the participants met the case definition for depressive symptoms. Based on the recommended dietary allowance of selenium, participants not meeting the recommended dietary intake, compared with those meeting the requirement, had higher odds of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-2.38). When analyzing by quintile of dietary selenium intakes, compared with the first quintile, participants in higher quintiles had significantly lower odds of depressive symptoms. However, based on quintiles of serum selenium and using the first quintile as referent category, except for quintile 3, results indicated a higher but not significant association (quintile 2 [OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.73-1.61], quintile 4 [OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.89-1.55], and quintile 5 [OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.83-1.58]). Power analysis indicated sufficient power. Notably, study participants had a very high serum selenium concentration. The findings, although not significant, between serum selenium concentrations and depressive symptoms had a U-shaped association, supported by the current literature. Our study supports an inverse association between participants recommended dietary intake of selenium and depressive symptoms. Although results were not statistically significant for the association by quartile of serum selenium concentrations and depressive symptoms, a U-shaped association was identified.

Slime from sulfuric acid shop of Balkhash copper-smelting factory – alternative source for production of selenium at the enterprise. Review

The article covers the problems of possibility for involving selenium from the slime of the sulfuric acid shop of the Balkhash Copper Smelting Plant (BCSP) into the sphere of its production. At pyrometallurgical processing of copper charge, selenium is sublimated and distributed among four waste products: washing sulfuric acid, slimes of sulfuric acid and electrolyte shop, and electrofilter dust. In the world, the main raw material for the production of selenium is copper electrolytic sludge (90 %) and sludge of sulfuric acid production of the chemical and pulp and paper industry (10 %). A comparative analysis of selenium content in the slimes of the metallurgical, chemical and pulp and paper industries showed that the content of selenium in the slimes of the sulfuric acid shops of the BCSP and “Kola Company” JSC is identical and much higher than in copper electrolytic slimes – the main source of selenium in the world. The qualitative, quantitative, granulometric and material compositions of the slime of the BCSP’s sulfuric acid shop are presented. It contains Pb, Se, Re, Al, Si, S, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, I, Hg, Ni, Br, Bi, As, Sb, Ag, Cr, Mg, Mo, Ti, Mn, and organic compounds (presumably, aliphatic acids). The content of some elements is several tens of percent, others – hundredths of a percent. Interest for the recovery is Se (4.6–32.3 5 wt. %), and furthermore are Re (0.14 wt. %), I (0.33 wt. % Hg (0.57 wt. %). Slime-forming element is lead in the form of its sulfate. Into the size class -0.4 + 0 the following are recovered Pb – 47.84 %, Se – 47.45 %, Re 55.31 %. The content of the elements in classes of different sizes is almost identical: Pb (56.7-58.1 wt. %), Se (4.00-4.51 wt. %), Re (0.10-0.16 wt. %.). Selenium in the slime is in the forms of the elemental – of three modifications, lead selenate and a substance containing the selenite anion. With the slime disposed to sewage treatment plants, 30-40 % of selenium, produced from copper electrolyte slime in Balkhash, is lost. Following facts are a strong argument for involving these slimes into the sphere of selenium production. They are the high content of selenium in slime of sulfuric acid shop, in perspective taken out as an independent product when introducing the technology of rhenium extraction from washing solutions, the presence of selenium production at the plant and the predicted selenium deficit in the world due to introduction of new technologies.

PROSPECTS OF PRODUCTION OF ALLIUM SEEDS SPROUTS FORTIFIED WITH SELENIUM

Sprouts of agricultural crops seeds are considered to be functional food products with high content of antioxidants. Though seeds of Allium species plants are used in some countries as spices the possibilities of appropriate sprouts utilization have never been investigated so far. Evaluation of perennial and A. cepa seeds biofortification with selenium revealed high nutritional value of the resulting sprouts characterized not only by high selenium content exclusively in a form of selenomethyl selenocysteine (a natural anti carcinogen) but also with high levels of antioxidant activity and high polyphenol content. It was demonstrated that among seven studied representatives of Allium species Allium cepa variety Krasnoye krugevo and perennial onion Allium fistulosum give seeds sprouts with the highest levels of selenium (10500-11000 μg/kg d.w.), polyphenols (9.3-10.8 mg-eq GA/g d.w) and the largest values of antioxidant activity (14.7-17.1 mg-eq GA/g d.w.). Utilization of one g of dried seeds sprouts powder, fortified with selenium provides up to 15.7% of the adequate consumption level of selenium exclusively in a form of selenomethyl selenocysteine possessing powerful anti carcinogenic activity.