[Selenium levels in human bodies and environment in Qinghai province]

To study selenium level, its distribution in human bodies and environment and its effects on health, 3,035 specimens of human hair, blood, urine, and environmetal water, soil, food were collected from 91 sampling spots in 23 cities and counties of Qinghai Province and determined for selenium levels with fluorescence analysis. Results showed overall biological selenium level of human bodies in Qinghai Province was low and blood selenium level was lower than the normal reference value in 84.73% of the population, same as that in selenium-poor nations. Environmental selenium was poor or in a deficient status in Qinghai Province, 69.57% of the areas in the Province was in low, poor, or severely deficient selenium. Selenium level in vegetable food correlated closely with that in human blood, which indicated low selenium level in environment caused human selenium deficient in their internal environment via food chain. There were difference in biological selenium levels of human bodies in seven districts and six ethnic nationalities, which suggests selenium levels in human bodies correlate closely with economic development, selenium intake, geographical environment, living habits and customs, etc., and are nothing to do with the altitude above sea level.