Selenium activity

Carbon monoxide serves as the sole carbon and energy source for the carboxydo bacteria under aerobic conditions. Using water as the oxygen donor, carbon monoxide oxidase catalyzes the hydroxylation of carbon monoxide, giving carbon dioxide or bicarbonate for assimilation. Most work has been carried out on the enzyme from Pseudomonas carboxydovorans.,ftJ7>W38 The activity of carbon monoxide oxidase is considerably stimulated upon anaerobic treatment with sulfide and dithionite, or by aerobic treatment with selenite. The binding of selenite to the oxidase specifically activates the CO — methylene blue reaction.1039 The molybdenum cofactor liberated from selenium-activated carbon monoxide oxidase does not contain selenium. Here, then, the... 

NICKEL CYANIDE or NICKEL CYANIDE, SOLID or NICKEL(II) CYANIDE (557-19-7) Ni(CN), A thermally unstable solid. Violentreaction with fluorine, hypochlorites, nitric acid, nitrates, nitrites, magnesium + heat. Contact with acids or heat releases deadly hydrogen cyanide gas. Incompatible with sulfur, selenium, active metals, sulfur, selenium. Explosive reaction with chlorates, nitrates, and other materials in heat above 842°F/450°C. Thermal decomposition releases toxic cyanide fumes. On small fires, use dry chemical powder (such as Purple-K-Powder), foam, or COj extinguishers. 

Enzymes often need for their activity the presence of a non-protein portion, which may be closely combined with the protein, in which case it is called a prosthetic group, or more loosely associated, in which case it is a coenzyme. Certain metals may be combined with the enzyme such as copper in ascorbic oxidase and selenium in glutathione peroxidase. Often the presence of other metals in solution, such as magnesium, are necessary for the action of particular enzymes. 

The physical properties of the Selenium also offer big advantages with respect to radiation shielding and beam collimation. Within the comparison of radiation isodose areas the required area-radius for a survey of 40pSv/h result in a shut off area that is for Selenium only half the size as for iridium. Sources of similar activity and collimators of same absorbtion value (95%) have been used to obtain values as mentioned in Table 3 below. 

Table 4 shows, the sources are available with physical sizes ranging from 1 mm x 1 mm up to 3 mm x 3 mm. They are produced from firmly compressed selenium pellets of cylindrical shape. The activities range up to 3 TBq or 80 Ci, which is the maximum allowed loading of the GammaMat SE portable isotope transport and working container, as well as the Source Projector M-Se crawler camera. 

The investigations of Jensen and Schmith (45) indicate that in vitro activity of 2-sulfanilamido and 4-methyl-2-sulfanilamido selenazoles against pneumonia infections is comparable to that of sulfathiazole or sulfadiazine. Frisk (47) found that the activity of the selenium compounds was much lower than that of sulfathiazole. 

A large number of selenium derivatives such as the selenium analog of vitamin B] have been tested for physiological activity (91). 

The ability of various selenium heterocycles to check the loss of orthophosphate caused by irradiation of ATP has been studied by Brucker and Bulka (92). They found that only 2-amino-4,5-dimethyiselenazole shows radioprotective properties, while other 2-aminoselenazoles, selenosemicarbazides, and acetone selenosemicar-bazones possess no such activity but are in addition very sensitive to radiation (93). 

Bacterial remediation of selenium oxyanions in San Joaquin, California, drainage water is under active investigation (96,97), but has not yet been commercialized. Agricultural drainage rich in selenium is also typically rich in nitrates, so bioremediation must also include conditions that stimulate denitrification (98). Phytoextraction of selenium is also being tested, but is not yet being used on a large scale. 

Medicated Dandruff Shampoos. Dandmff is a scalp condition characterized by the production of excessive cellular material (18). A number of shampoos have been marketed which are designed to control and alleviate this condition, and many additives have been included in shampoo compositions to classify them as treatment products for dandmff. These additives include antimicrobial additives, eg, quaternary ammonium salts keratolytic agents, eg, saUcychc acid and sulfur heavy metals, eg, cadmium sulfide coal tar resorcinol and many others. More recent (ca 1993) systems use selenium sulfide [7488-56-4] or zinc pyrithione [13463-41 -7] as active antidandmff shampoo additives. Both of these additives are classified as dmgs, but can be found in over-the-counter products. A stronger version, incorporating the use of higher levels of selenium sulfide in a shampoo, is available but requires a prescription for purchase. 

A variety of other metals and their complexes have been studied for radioprotective activity. Among these are copper glycinate, strontium chloride, ZnNa -diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (ZnDTPA), and selenium, which has been studied because of its relationship to endogenous antioxidant mechanisms, especiaHy GSH peroxidase and vitamin E. 

In many reactions, selenium is an oxidant as well as a reductant. Strong oxidants convert selenium dioxide and its derivatives to the hexavalent state. Although hexavalent selenium compounds are oxidants, these are less active and difficult to reduce. Selenium salts resemble the corresponding sulfur and tellurium salts in behavior. 

There are areas (22) where selenium levels in the soil are very low these include regions of volcanic activity like that adjacent to the Cascade mountains in the Pacific Northwest states of the United States and the central north island of New Zealand. There, because the heat of emption volatilized the selenium, the residual soil parent material is virtually devoid of selenium. Other areas of low soil-selenium reflect leaching of selenium out of the top soil, as in the Canterbury plain on New Zealand s south island. Areas of selenium deficiency have negative implications for animal and human health. 

Selenocysteine was identified in 1976 (57) in a protein produced by Clostridium stricklandii, and it is thought to be the form in which selenium is incorporated, stoichiometricaHy, into proteins. Studies with rats show that over 80% of the dietary selenium given them is incorporated into proteins, thus selenocysteine takes on metaboHc importance. Selenoproteins having known enzymatic activities contain selenocysteine at the active sites. Two other forms of metabohc selenium are recognized methylated selenium compounds are synthesized for excretion, and selenium is incorporated into some transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNAs) in cultured cells (58). Some of the more important seleno-compounds are Hsted in Table 4. Examples of simple ring compounds are shown in Eigure 4. 

Comprehensive accounts of the various gravimetric, polarographic, spectrophotometric, and neutron activation analytical methods have been pubHshed (1,2,5,17,19,65—67). Sampling and analysis of biological materials and organic compounds is treated in References 60 and 68. Many analytical methods depend on the conversion of selenium in the sample to selenous acid, H2Se02, and reduction to elemental selenium when a gravimetric deterrnination is desired. 

Rubber. The mbber industry consumes finely ground metallic selenium and Selenac (selenium diethyl dithiocarbamate, R. T. Vanderbilt). Both are used with natural mbber and styrene—butadiene mbber (SBR) to increase the rate of vulcanization and improve the aging and mechanical properties of sulfudess and low sulfur stocks. Selenac is also used as an accelerator in butyl mbber and as an activator for other types of accelerators, eg, thiazoles (see Rubber chemicals). Selenium compounds are useflil as antioxidants (qv), uv stabilizers, (qv), bonding agents, carbon black activators, and polymerization additives. Selenac improves the adhesion of polyester fibers to mbber. 

In 1956 selenium was identified (123) as an essential micronutrient iu nutrition. In conjunction with vitamin E, selenium is effective iu the prevention of muscular dystrophy iu animals. Sodium selenite is adrninistered to prevent exudative diathesis iu chicks, a condition iu which fluid leaks out of the tissues white muscle disease iu sheep and infertility iu ewes (see Eeed ADDITIVES). Selenium lessens the iacidence of pneumonia iu lambs and of premature, weak, and stillborn calves controls hepatosis dietetica iu pigs and decreases muscular inflammation iu horses. White muscle disease, widespread iu sheep and cattle of the selenium-deficient areas of New Zealand and the United States, is insignificant iu high selenium soil areas. The supplementation of animal feeds with selenium was approved by the U.S. EDA iu 1974 (see Eeed additives). Much of selenium s metaboHc activity results from its involvement iu the selenoproteia enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. 

Sulfur [7704-34-9] S, a nonmetallic element, is the second element of Group 16 (VIA) of the Periodic Table, coming below oxygen and above selenium. In massive elemental form, sulfur is often referred to as brimstone. Sulfur is one of the most important taw materials of the chemical industry. It is of prime importance to the fertilizer industry (see Fertilizers) and its consumption is generally regarded as one of the best measures of a nation s industrial development and economic activity (see Sulfur compounds Sulfurremoval and recovery Sulfuric acid and sulfur trioxide). 

Organosulfur Adsorbates on Metal and Semiconductor Surfaces. Sulfur compounds (qv) and selenium compounds (qv) have a strong affinity for transition metal surfaces (206—211). The number of reported surface-active organosulfur compounds that form monolayers on gold includes di- -alkyl sulfide (212,213), di- -alkyl disulfides (108), thiophenols (214,215), mercaptopyridines (216), mercaptoanilines (217), thiophenes (217), cysteines (218,219), xanthates (220), thiocarbaminates (220), thiocarbamates (221), thioureas (222), mercaptoimidazoles (223—225), and alkaneselenoles (226) (Fig. 11). However, the most studied, and probably most understood, SAM is that of alkanethiolates on Au(lll) surfaces. 

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