Essential trace metals in man: selenium

Journal Article · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1969 · J. Chronic Dis.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9681(70)90003-2· OSTI ID:6424964

Schroeder, H A; Frost, D V; Balassa, J J

In order to obtain data on environmental sources and human exposures to selenium, a trace element essential for mammals, a number of common foods, wild and domestic animal tissues and tissues of human beings were analyzed by a photofluorometric technique. Selenium was found in few vegetables, but seafood, meats and most grains contained appreciable amounts. The daily intake in a standard diet was 62..mu..g. Cooked and processed foods contained considerably less selenium than raw foods. The calculated human body burden of selenium was 14.6 mg (range 13-20 mg). Wild animals contained two to three times as high a concentration of selenium as the human beings analyzed. Kidneys showed the highest concentrations. Selenium did not accumulate in human hair with age, but increased in hair of rats fed selenate. Under some conditions, selenium is carcinogenic in rats. No recorded case of human or animal cancer is known which could be attributed to environmental selenium, or the lack of it.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth Medical School, NH
• OSTI ID: 6424964
• Journal Information: J. Chronic Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chronic Dis.; (United States) Vol. 23; ISSN JOCDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY
BODY BURDEN
CARCINOGENESIS
CEREALS
DATA
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISH PRODUCTS
FOOD
GRASS
INFORMATION
KIDNEYS
MAMMALS
MAN
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PLANTS
POLLUTION SOURCES
PRIMATES
SEAFOOD
SEEDS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TISSUES
TOXICITY
TRACE AMOUNTS
VEGETABLES
VERTEBRATES