Selenium actions/effects

Selenium and selenium compounds are also used in electroless nickel-plating baths, delayed-action blasting caps, lithium batteries, xeroradiography, cyanine- and noncyanine-type dyes, thin-film field effect transistors (FET), thin-film lasers, and fire-resistant functional fluids in aeronautics (see... 

This selenium-dependent enzyme [EC 1.11.1.9] catalyzes the reaction of two molecules of glutathione with hydrogen peroxide to produce glutathione disulfide and two water molecules. Hydrogen peroxide can be replaced by steroid and lipid hydroperoxides, albeit not as effectively (nevertheless, this enzyme is not identical with phospholipid-hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase [EC 1.11.1.12]). However, the hydroperoxy products formed by the action of lipoxygenase [EC 1.13.11.12] are not substrates. 

Larger particles (several micrometers in size) are deposited in the ciliated portion and are cleared from the respiratory system by muco-ciliary action into the gastronomical tract, but may produce systemic toxic effects by absorption in body fluids. Finer particles reach the lower non-ciliated portion of the lungs, are cleared very slowly, and are responsible for diseases such as pneumoconiosis and lung cancer. Metallic lead (Pb), tellurium ( ), selenium (Se), and platinum (Pt) are known to cause both systemic and respiratory toxicity in laboratory animals and several cases of acute and chronic poisoning among metal workers have also been documented. 

What appears to be a more satisfactory explanation and one largely favoured by physicists is that the phenomenon is an effect of purely electronic character. The actual mechanism of the action is not yet completely understood, but the light appears to cause ionisation at the surface of the selenium, with immediate increase in conductivity.7 The splitting off of electrons may be not only from the selenium atoms but also from the incident stream. It has also been suggested that the... 

As indicated in Fig. 25-18, free adenine released from catabolism of nucleic acids can be deaminated hydrolytically to hypoxanthine, and guanine can be deaminated to xanthine.328 The molybdenum-containing xanthine oxidase (Chapter 16) oxidizes hypoxanthine to xanthine and the latter on to uric acid. Some Clostridia convert purine or hypoxanthine to xanthine by the action of a selenium-containing purine hydroxylase.3283 Another reaction of xanthine occurring in some plants is conversion to the trimethylated derivative caffeine. 328b One of the physiological effects of caffeine in animals is inhibition of pyrimidine synthesis.329 However, the effect most sought by coffee drinkers may be an increase in blood pressure caused by occupancy of adenosine receptors by caffeine.330... 

Another method of preparation is as follows 1 33 parts of fluorescein are dissolved in 5 parts of ether and treated with 25 parts of selenium chloride in the same solvent. A yellowish-red precipitate separates, and after long stirring at the ordinary temperature the ether is distilled off. The residue is stirred with water, the mixture filtered and the residue now dissolved in sodium hydroxide. After further filtration the filtrate is treated with hydrochloric acid, which precipitates seleno-fluorescei n. Further purification is effected by solution in alkali and reprecipitation. A reddish-brown powder is obtained, soluble with fluorescence in alcohol, but insoluble in water. In concentrated sulphuric acid it dissolves to give an orange solution. Its alkali salts are very soluble in wrater, giving red solutions. This process may also be applied to phthalins, which are obtained by the reduction of phthaleins and their halogen derivatives. If the selenium chloride is replaced by the oxychloride similar products are obtained.2 In place of the phthalins specified in the patents quoted, their O-acetyl compounds or O-acetyl compounds of the phthaleins may be used in indifferent solvents. The products are different from those obtained by the action of selenium on fluoresceins in aqueous alkali solutions.3... 

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