Orthogonal combination design was adopted in examining the Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) yield and the influence of four factors (Se content, Se-adding method, S content and NaHCO3 content) on algae growth. The results showed that Se content, Se-adding method and NaHCO3 content were key factors in cultivation conditions of Se-enriched S. platensis with the optimal combination being Se at 300 mg/L, Se-adding amount equally divided into three times and NaHCO3 at 16.8 g/L. Algae yield had a remarkable correlation with OD560 and floating rate by linear regression analysis. There was a corresponding relationship between effects of the four factors on algae yield and on OD560, floating rate too. In conclusion, OD560 and floating rate could be served as yield-forming factors.
Bicarbonates ; analysis ; Culture Media ; Cyanobacteria ; growth & development ; Selenium ; analysis ; pharmacology

Animals ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Selenium ; analysis ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic

OBJECTIVETo determined hydrogen selenide in workplace air with atomic fluorescence.

METHODHydrogen selenide were sampled with 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution in multi-hole absorbing tubes. The sampled absorbing solution were digested with (9+1) nitric acid/perchloric acid. The selenide in sample were reduced by potassium borohydride in 5.0% hydrochloride solution and determined with atomic fluorescence.

RESULTSThere was a good linearity (r=0.9999) over the concentration of 0-150 microg/L, The precision of low, middle and high concentration were 3.1%, 7.4% and 6.7%, respectively. The sample collection rate can reach 99%.

CONCLUSIONThe method was accurate and sensitive to detect hydrogen selenide in workplace air.

The effect of selenium on the tissue sulfhydryl group content and lipid peroxide-destorying enzyme system in the liver, kidney and testis of rat treated with mercury was investigated. The male rats were injected s.c. with HgCl2 (10 micromoles/kg BW) and orally received Na2SeO3 (13 micromoles/kg BW) simultaneously. After 3 days, liver, kidney and testis were removed and analyzed. Mercury decreased the total sulfhydryl group content in the kidney by 25% and the total glutathione content in the kidney and testis by 50% and 36%, respectively, with no changes in other tissues. There was 12% increase in the total sulfhydryl group but not in the total glutathione content in kidney by a simul-taneous treatment of Se and Hg. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were decreased by 63% in the liver and 69% in the kidney, and glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) activity was increased in the tests by 16% by the Hg treatment with no changes in Other tissues. Hg had no effect upon glutathione-S-transferase activities in all organs examined. Simultaneous Se treatment increased GSH-Rd activity in the kidney by 23% and GSH-Px activities in liver and kidney by 24% and 21%, respectively, compared to the Hg-treated group. These data indicate that the alleviation of Hg toxicity by Se treatment is well correlated with the protein sulfhydryl group content and GSH-Px activity.
Animal ; Glutathione/metabolism* ; Glutathione Peroxidase/analysis ; Glutathione Reductase/analysis ; Male ; Mercury/toxicity* ; Rats ; Selenium/pharmacology* ; Sulfhydryl Compounds/analysis*

Animal Feed ; Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cadmium ; analysis ; DNA ; analysis ; Hepatocytes ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Selenium ; analysis

In recent years, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been widely used in many fields such as nanotechnology, biomedicine and environmental remediation due to their good electrical conductivity, photothermal properties and anticancer properties. In this study, the cell-free supernatant, whole cell and the cell-free extracts of the strain Cupriavidus sp. SHE were used to synthesize SeNPs, and several methods were applied to analyze the crystal structure and surface functional groups of the nanoparticles. Finally, Pseudomonas sp. PI1 (G⁺) and Escherichia coli BL21 (G⁻) were selected to investigate the antibacterial properties of SeNPs. Cell-free supernatant, whole cell and cell-free extracts of the strain could synthesize SeNPs. As for the cell-free supernatant, selenite concentration of 5 mmol/L and pH=7 were favorable for the synthesis of SeNPs. TEM images show that the average size of nanospheres synthesized by the supernatant was 196 nm. XRD analysis indicates the hexagonal crystals structure of SeNPs. FTIR and SDS-PAGE confirmed the proteins bound to the surfaces of SeNPs. SeNPs synthesized by cell-free supernatant showed no antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas sp. PI1 and Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). These results suggest that proteins played an important role in biotransformation of SeNPs in an eco-friendly process, and SeNPs synthesized in this study were non-toxic and biologically compatible, which might be applied in other fields in the future.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Cupriavidus ; metabolism ; Nanoparticles ; Selenious Acid ; analysis ; Selenium ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the levels of selenium, iron and copper in cord blood of neonates and the risk of congenital heart disease (CHD), and analyze their interaction effects. Methods: The subjects were obtained from the birth cohort in Lanzhou area established from 2010 to 2012. A baseline survey was conducted in the first trimester, and the follow-up was conducted in the second trimester, third trimester and 42 days after delivery. The umbilical vein blood was collected from newborns at delivery, and information on their birth outcomes was extracted from medical records. A nested case-control study was used to select 97 neonates with CHD newly diagnosed by echocardiography as the case group, and 194 neonates were selected as the control group by 1∶2 matching according to their mother's age, block and CHD onset time. Inductively coupled ion mass spectrometry was used to detect the concentrations of selenium, iron and copper in neonatal cord blood. The element exposure was categorized into three groups, the low, medium and high concentrations, according to the quartiles Q₁ and Q₃ of selenium, iron and copper concentrations in the control group. The association between cord blood selenium, iron and copper concentrations and CHD was analyzed by conditional logistic regression model using medium concentration as the reference standard. The association of their interactions with CHD was analyzed by a phase multiplication model. Results: The M (Q₁, Q₃) concentration of neonatal cord blood copper was 746.12 (467.48, 759.74) μg/L in the case group and 535.69 (425.21, 587.79) μg/L in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). After adjustment for confounders, logistic regression models showed that the risk of CHD development was increased in neonates with either high copper in cord blood (OR=4.062, 95%CI: 2.013-8.199) or high copper combined with high iron (OR=3.226, 95%CI: 1.343-7.750). No correlation was observed between selenium and iron concentrations and the development of CHD in neonates. There was a multiplicative interaction between copper and iron in cord blood on the risk of developing CHD (OR=1.303, 95%CI: 1.056-1.608). Conclusion: There is a multiplicative interaction between iron and copper elements. The high copper and the high copper combined with high iron in umbilical cord blood are risk factors for neonatal CHD.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Copper/analysis* ; Selenium ; Iron/analysis* ; Fetal Blood/chemistry* ; Case-Control Studies ; Heart Defects, Congenital

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selenium is an important trace element for thyroid hormone metabolism, and its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. Serum selenium concentration is the best biomarker to reflect selenium intake and reserve, although other markers can reflect. Therefore, we preliminarily assessed serum and urine selenium concentrations in patients with thyroid disease compared to those of a healthy population. We also investigated the correlation between serum and urine selenium concentration, thyroid hormone and urinary iodine concentration (UIC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 97 patients (32 men, 65 women, 52.4±14.7 years) with benign thyroid nodules or thyroid dysfunction who visited the Samsung Medical Center between 2008 and 2013 were included. Data for 175 healthy subjects provided by Lee et al. were used as the control. Serum T3, free T4, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured using commercialized RIA or IRMA kits. Serum/urine selenium and UIC were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: Median serum selenium concentration was 110 µg/L (95% CI, 73-156). Median urine selenium concentration was 66.3 µg/gCr (95% CI, 28.7-283.5). Compared to 175 healthy subjects (serum 84 µg/L [95% CI, 30-144], urine 34.5 µg/gCr [95% CI, 0.8-107.2]), serum and urine selenium concentrations of patients with thyroid disease were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (p<0.001). Serum selenium concentration was significantly correlated with urine selenium concentration after log transformation (r=0.88, p=0.022), but was not significantly correlated with UIC, T3, free T4 and TSH. CONCLUSION: Selenium concentrations of patients with thyroid disease were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Serum selenium concentration was significantly correlated with urine selenium concentration.
Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Iodine ; Male ; Metabolism ; Selenium* ; Spectrum Analysis ; Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyrotropin

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selenium is an important trace element for thyroid hormone metabolism, and its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. Serum selenium concentration is the best biomarker to reflect selenium intake and reserve, although other markers can reflect. Therefore, we preliminarily assessed serum and urine selenium concentrations in patients with thyroid disease compared to those of a healthy population. We also investigated the correlation between serum and urine selenium concentration, thyroid hormone and urinary iodine concentration (UIC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 97 patients (32 men, 65 women, 52.4±14.7 years) with benign thyroid nodules or thyroid dysfunction who visited the Samsung Medical Center between 2008 and 2013 were included. Data for 175 healthy subjects provided by Lee et al. were used as the control. Serum T3, free T4, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured using commercialized RIA or IRMA kits. Serum/urine selenium and UIC were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: Median serum selenium concentration was 110 µg/L (95% CI, 73-156). Median urine selenium concentration was 66.3 µg/gCr (95% CI, 28.7-283.5). Compared to 175 healthy subjects (serum 84 µg/L [95% CI, 30-144], urine 34.5 µg/gCr [95% CI, 0.8-107.2]), serum and urine selenium concentrations of patients with thyroid disease were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (p<0.001). Serum selenium concentration was significantly correlated with urine selenium concentration after log transformation (r=0.88, p=0.022), but was not significantly correlated with UIC, T3, free T4 and TSH. CONCLUSION: Selenium concentrations of patients with thyroid disease were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Serum selenium concentration was significantly correlated with urine selenium concentration.
Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Iodine ; Male ; Metabolism ; Selenium* ; Spectrum Analysis ; Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyrotropin

BACKGROUND: The exposure of human beings to toxic trace metals continues to be an important public health issue and concern. This study was conducted to assess the exposure to trace metals in the general Korean population by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). METHODS: Blood and urine samples were obtained from 175 healthy subjects including those who visited the health promotion center or healthy volunteers. Specimens were collected in special containers and we applied simple sample processing to minimize contamination. We used ICP-MS (Fisons Instrument, Cheshire, UK) to analyze simultaneously the concentration of metals including lead, cadmium, aluminum, cobalt, copper, zinc and selenium. The effects of age, sex and smoking on the trace metal concentrations were also investigated. RESULTS: Distribution of trace metal levels in the general healthy population skewed toward lower values, which reflected low levels of exposure in the general healthy population. The concentrations of some trace metals were significantly affected by age, sex or smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: We performed a simultaneous multielement analysis of biological samples by ICPMS, a reliable and sensitive technique, to build a database of trace metal values in the general population. The results in this study can provide background data for future epidemiological and clinical studies associated with trace metal exposure in the Korean population.
Aluminum ; Cadmium ; Cobalt ; Copper ; Health Promotion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Metals ; Public Health ; Selenium ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Zinc