Selenium : fate and effects in the aquatic environment
Selenium has a complex and not fully understood biogeochemistry in the aquatic environment as well as an unusual mode of toxicity (acute via water column exposure; chronic via food chain exposure). It has the narrowest range between nutritional requirements and toxicity of any essential element, a...
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2009
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2429/10363 |
| Summary: | Selenium has a complex and not fully understood biogeochemistry in the aquatic environment as well as
an unusual mode of toxicity (acute via water column exposure; chronic via food chain exposure). It has
the narrowest range between nutritional requirements and toxicity of any essential element, and chronic
toxicity is not readily predictable. Selenium contamination of waters or even of tissues does not
necessarily indicate a problem; there are no generally accepted or universally accepted threshold values
for chronic toxicity. Assessing risk must be done site-specifically in a risk assessment framework,
focusing on reproductive effects to sensitive exposed fish and waterfowl and on "worst case" hydrologie
units. Provided the necessary investigative and monitoring studies are done, any potential selenium problems can be addressed. |
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