Selenium content and speciation differences in selenium enriched soups made from selenium biofortified plants

Modified natural zeolites (MNZ) are widely used in pollutant removal, but how to address these MNZ that have adsorbed pollutants must be considered. Selenium is an essential trace element for metabolism and is also a water pollutant. Selenium is adsorbed in the water by MNZ in this study first. Then the Brassica chinensis L. was planted in the soil which contains the MNZ loaded with selenium (MNZ-Se) to explore selenium uptake. MNZ-Se release tests in water and soil were also considered. The results showed the following: (1) The maximum adsorption capacity of MNZ for selenium is 46.90 mg/g. (2) Water release experiments of MNZ-Se showed that regardless of how the pH of the aqueous solution changes, the trend of the release of selenium from MNZ-Se in aqueous solution is not affected and first decreases before stabilizing. (3) Soil release experiments of MNZ-Se showed that the selenium content in the soil increased and reached the concentration in the standard of selenium-rich soil. Addition amount and soil pH value will affect the release ratio. The release ratio of MNZ-Se in the water was higher than that in the soil. (4) With an increase in the soil MNZ-Se content, the selenium content in the soil and B. c increases. Above all, MZN can be a good medium for water pollutant removal and soil improvement.

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Association between fatality rate of COVID-19 and selenium deficiency in China

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-06167-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hai-Yang Zhang ◽

An-Ran Zhang ◽

Qing-Bin Lu ◽

Xiao-Ai Zhang ◽

Zhi-Jie Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Binomial ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Selenium Deficiency ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Negative Binomial Regression Model ◽

Fatality Rate ◽

Selenium Content ◽

Individual Level ◽

Binomial Regression

Abstract Background COVID-19 has impacted populations around the world, with the fatality rate varying dramatically across countries. Selenium, as one of the important micronutrients implicated in viral infections, was suggested to play roles. Methods An ecological study was performed to assess the association between the COVID-19 related fatality and the selenium content both from crops and topsoil, in China. Results Totally, 14,045 COVID-19 cases were reported from 147 cities during 8 December 2019–13 December 2020 were included. Based on selenium content in crops, the case fatality rates (CFRs) gradually increased from 1.17% in non-selenium-deficient areas, to 1.28% in moderate-selenium-deficient areas, and further to 3.16% in severe-selenium-deficient areas (P = 0.002). Based on selenium content in topsoil, the CFRs gradually increased from 0.76% in non-selenium-deficient areas, to 1.70% in moderate-selenium-deficient areas, and further to 1.85% in severe-selenium-deficient areas (P < 0.001). The zero-inflated negative binomial regression model showed a significantly higher fatality risk in cities with severe-selenium-deficient selenium content in crops than non-selenium-deficient cities, with incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 3.88 (95% CIs: 1.21–12.52), which was further confirmed by regression fitting the association between CFR of COVID-19 and selenium content in topsoil, with the IRR of 2.38 (95% CIs: 1.14–4.98) for moderate-selenium-deficient cities and 3.06 (1.49–6.27) for severe-selenium-deficient cities. Conclusions Regional selenium deficiency might be related to an increased CFR of COVID-19. Future studies are needed to explore the associations between selenium status and disease outcome at individual-level.

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Selenium Biofortification of Wheat as a Strategy to Improve Human Nutrition

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11020144 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 144

Author(s):

Aleksandra Radawiec ◽

Wiesław Szulc ◽

Beata Rutkowska

Keyword(s):

Spring Wheat ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Stem Elongation ◽

Sodium Selenate ◽

Control Group ◽

Selenium Content ◽

Wheat Grain ◽

Elongation Phase ◽

Fertilisation Treatment ◽

Foliar Fertilisation

This paper analyses the effects of soil and foliar fertilization with sodium selenate (VI) on the selenium content in spring wheat grain. The research was carried out at the Departmental Experimental Station of the Institute of Agriculture WULS in Skierniewice in 2018 and 2019. The dose of selenium used was 5.00 g Se·ha−1 in various development stages of spring wheat. The results showed that selenium fertilisation did not affect the size of the grain yield, but both soil and foliar fertilisation significantly increased the content of selenium in wheat grain compared to the control group. The highest Se content was obtained with the method of soil fertilisation combined with the foliar application with a total dose of 10.00 g·ha-1 Se in the stem elongation phase (S + F2), and in the tillering and stem elongation phase (S + F1 + F2), which resulted in the values of 0.615 and 0.719 mg·kg−1 Se in grain, respectively. On this basis, it was concluded that the best time to carry out foliar fertilisation treatment is in the stem elongation phase (BBCH 30–39). The results show that the greatest increase in selenium content in the grain is achieved with soil and foliar fertilisation combined.

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