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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
09:33
An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
Selenium-mercury interactions in man and animals.
Ingrid Falnoga1, Magda Tusek-Znidaric
1Department of Environmental Sciences, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. ingrid.falnoga@ijs.si
Biological Trace Element Research
|October 6, 2007
Summary
Mercury exposure impacts the body's selenium levels and its utilization for selenoprotein synthesis. Adequate dietary selenium intake can preserve selenium bioavailability, even with moderate mercury exposure.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Selenium-mercury interactions are primarily studied for mercury toxicity alleviation.
- Mercury vapor (Hg o) exposure influences endogenous selenium and its cellular status.
- Cellular mercury invasion and oxidation by catalase generate reactive mercury ions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of mercury vapor on endogenous selenium.
- To assess selenium status in humans and rats exposed to mercury.
- To understand mercury's impact on selenium bioavailability and selenoprotein synthesis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of human populations near mercury mines.
- Experimental exposure of rats to mercury vapor in a mine environment.
- Evaluation of selenium and mercury levels and their interactions.
Main Results:
- Moderate mercury exposure with adequate dietary selenium preserves selenium bioavailability in humans.
- Acute mercury exposure reveals a dual role for selenium in detoxification, including co-excretion.
- Lower basal selenium levels correlate with higher mercury accumulation rates in rats.
- Mercury-induced reactive ions can reduce selenium availability for selenoprotein synthesis.
Conclusions:
- Dietary selenium is crucial for maintaining selenium status during mercury exposure.
- Selenium plays a complex role in mercury detoxification, influencing both accumulation and excretion.
- Mercury exposure can disrupt selenoprotein synthesis, with tissue-specific effects based on hierarchy.
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