Fact Know about Selenium benefits uses side effects Baldness Wheat
Fact Know about Selenium benefits uses side effects Baldness Wheat
Selenium, the chemical element, is a captivating member of the periodic table.
It carries the symbol Se and the atomic number 34, placing it in the chalcogen group—think of it as a cousin to oxygen and sulfur.
Discovered in 1817 by Jöns Jacob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, it got its name from "selene," the Greek word for moon, a nod to its kinship with tellurium (named for Earth).
Here’s a closer look at what makes it tick:
Selenium in Wheat
Essential Nutrient:
Selenium is crucial for various bodily functions, including the immune system and antioxidant defense.
It is a component of enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect cells from damage.
Sources and Accumulation:
Wheat can accumulate selenium from the soil.
The amount of selenium in wheat depends on the selenium content of the soil and the use of selenium-containing fertilizers.
Health Implications:
Both selenium deficiency and toxicity can have health consequences.
Deficiency can lead to conditions like Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease, while excessive selenium intake can cause selenosis, characterized by symptoms like hair loss, nail brittleness, and neurological damage.
Recent Issues
Recently, there have been reports of high selenium levels in wheat supplied through India's public distribution system (PDS), particularly sourced from Punjab.
This has led to cases of sudden and severe hair loss in Maharashtra's Buldhana district
Investigations revealed that the selenium levels in the wheat were significantly higher than the normal range, causing health issues among the affected individuals
Research and Biofortification
Research has shown that biofortification of wheat with selenium can be achieved through foliar application of selenium compounds like selenate and selenite.
This process can enhance the selenium content in wheat grains, making it a potential strategy to address selenium deficiency in populations
Properties
Appearance: Selenium has a few faces. Its most common form is a shiny, gray, crystalline solid that looks almost metallic.
It can also show up as a red amorphous powder or even a black, glassy version, depending on how it’s prepared.
Behavior:
It’s a semiconductor, meaning it conducts electricity better than insulators like glass but not as well as metals. Light makes it more conductive, which is why it’s a star in tech applications.
Where It’s Found:
It’s not super abundant—only about 0.05 parts per million in the Earth’s crust—but it pops up in sulfide ores like those of copper or lead.
Uses
Industry:
In glassmaking, selenium neutralizes green tints from iron impurities or adds a red hue for decorative pieces.
It’s also in photocopiers and solar cells, thanks to that light-sensitive conductivity.
Health:
Tiny amounts of selenium are essential for life.
It’s a key player in enzymes that protect cells from damage—think of it as a microscopic bodyguard.
You’ll find it in foods like Brazil nuts, fish, and eggs.
Caution:
Too much is trouble. Overdose (say, from supplements gone wild) can lead to selenosis—symptoms include hair loss, brittle nails, and a garlicky breath that’s hard to miss.
Cool Tidbits
Allotropes:
Like a shape-shifter, selenium switches forms based on temperature and pressure.
The gray version is stable, but heat it up, and it can morph.
Cosmic Connection:
Traces of selenium have been spotted in meteorites, hinting at its presence beyond Earth.
It’s a subtle element with a big impact, balancing utility and toxicity
Natural Cycle -
Earth’s Story:
Selenium starts in igneous rocks, gets weathered into soils, and plants soak it up—sometimes too much in places like parts of the western U.S., where high-selenium soils can poison livestock (a condition called "alkali disease").
It also washes into water, where microbes can turn it into volatile compounds, cycling it back to the air.
Biological Role:
In humans, it’s a trace element with a Goldilocks vibe—just right is vital, too little or too much spells trouble. It’s part of selenoproteins, like glutathione peroxidase, which fights oxidative stress. Deficiency can weaken immunity; excess can mess with your nervous system.
Modern Applications
Tech Edge:
Beyond solar panels, it’s in thin-film photovoltaics (like copper indium gallium selenide, or CIGS cells) and X-ray imaging detectors.
Its semiconductor chops are still in play.
Medicine:
Selenium supplements are a thing for areas with low soil levels (like parts of China, where it’s linked to Keshan disease prevention—a heart condition).
Researchers are also eyeing its potential in cancer prevention, though the jury’s still out.
Agriculture:
Farmers tweak animal feed with selenium to avoid deficiency—think healthy sheep and chickens—but they watch the dose to dodge toxicity.
Quirky Facts
Color Play:
Ever wonder why some old glass bottles are reddish? Selenium’s to thank.
It’s also why ruby glass in art or traffic lights has that glow.
Cosmic Dust:
Selenium isotopes hint at its birth in ancient stars—supernovae spat it out long before Earth formed.
Smell Test:
Chemists used to ID selenium by its compounds’ stench.
H₂Se is so foul it’s a lab hazard—not something you’d want to bottle as perfume!
Chemistry Deep Dive
Atomic Structure:
With 34 protons and typically 45 neutrons (in its most common isotope, Se-79), selenium has an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁴.
Those outer electrons in the p-orbital make it chemically reactive, especially with metals and oxygen.
Compounds:
It loves to bond. Hydrogen selenide (H₂Se) is a stinky, toxic gas—think rotten horseradish.
Selenic acid (H₂SeO₄) is a strong acid, rivaling sulfuric acid. Then there’s selenium dioxide (SeO₂), a white solid used in organic chemistry as an oxidizing agent.
Reactivity:
It’s less eager than sulfur to form bonds but still plays well with halogens (like chlorine) and metals (forming selenides).
Heat it in air, and it burns with a blue flame, turning into SeO₂.
