Sublethal and Latent Effects

Elevated selenium concentrations were measured in tissues and diet of two captive California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) that died shortly after performing at a show in 1988. Selenium concentrations, in mg/kg FW, were 49.0 and 88.0 in liver, 42.0 and 47.0 in kidney, and 5.1 and 5.2 in blood. Selenium concentrations in their fish diet was 2.5 mg/kg FW and in thawed fish fluids 45.0 mg/kg FW. 

Concentrations of selenium decreased in whole earthworms from 22.4 to 15.0 mg/kg (dry weight) as the rate of sludge application increased from 15 to 60 metric tons/ha. Concentrations of selenium in soil and sludge were 0.3 and 0.5 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. Other studies indicated that some metals, notably cadmium, decreased in worms 

0 xg Se/L, but low or undetectable levels of silver, chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, and zinc. Of 347 nests examined from this site, about 40% had at least one dead embryo and about 20% had at least one embryo or chick with obvious external anomalies, including missing or abnormal beaks, eyes, wings, legs, or feet. In addition, brain, heart, liver, and skeletal anomalies were recorded. Concentrations of selenium (mg/kg, dry weight) were 2.0-110.0 in eggs and 19.0- 

0 in livers of birds, 12.0-79.0 in plants, 23.0-200.0 in invertebrates, and 110.0-280.0 in fish from the ponds, or 7-130 times those found at a nearby control area. It was concluded that selenium was the probable cause of poor reproduction and developmental abnormalities in the aquatic nesting birds, due to interference with their reproductive processes. The concentrations of selenium in breast muscle of coots 

Pregnant long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) given L-selenomethionine for 30 days at doses of 25.0,150.0, or 300.0 (xg Se/kg body weight daily showed dose-dependent increases in erythrocyte and plasma selenium, glutathione peroxidase activities, hair and fecal selenium, and urinary selenium excretion. Adverse effects, including body weight loss, were associated with daily doses of 150.0 and 300.0 xg Se/kg BW and with concentrations of erythrocyte selenium 2.3mg/L, 

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