How does Selenium get into your water?
Selenium is a metal found in natural deposits as ores containing other elements.
The most important industries using Selenium compounds are the electronics industry and manufacturers of photocopier components.
Selenium is also widely used in:
- glass
- pigments
- rubber
- metal alloys
- textiles
- petroleum
- medical therapeutic agents
- photographic emulsions
Production in 1985 was reported to be 429,515 pounds.
Selenium compounds are released into the air during the production of energy when burning coal or other petroleum fuels and during the smelting and refining of other metals.
11 foods high in Selenium are:
- Brazil nuts (these are one of the richest sources of selenium in food) [1]
- mushrooms
- seafood, especially oysters and tuna
- beans
- sunflower seeds
- meat
- poultry
- liver
- eggs
- brown rice
- oats
Selenium can enter water supplies through contact with selenium-bearing minerals or through contact with polluted soil or water.
The Health Implications of Selenium
The toxicity of Selenium depends on whether it is in the biologically active oxidised form, which occurs in alkaline soils. These conditions can cause plants uptake of the metal to be increased. It is known that Selenium accumulates in living tissues.
Short-term: Selenium is an essential nutrient at low levels.
However, the EPA has found Selenium to potentially cause the following health effects when people are exposed to it at high levels for relatively short periods of time:
- hair and fingernail changes
- damage to the peripheral nervous system
- fatigue and irritability
Long-term: Selenium has the potential to cause the following effects from a lifetime exposure at higher levels:
- hair and fingernail loss
- damage to kidney and liver tissue
- damage to the nervous
- damage to circulatory systems
Selenium dietary supplements can be harmful to people who already get enough Selenium.
