(2022) Journal of Hazardous Materials_The beneficial and hazardous effects of selenium on the health of the soil-plant-human system: An overview

Yang H., Yang X., Ning Z., Kwon S.Y., Li M.-L., Tack F.M.G., Kwon E.E., Rinklebe J., Yin R.

(Elsevier B.V.) Journal of Hazardous Materials ISSN: 3043894 Vol.422 Issue. Article No.126876 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126876

Selenium (Se), which can be both hazardous and beneficial to plants, animals and humans, plays a pivotal role in regulating soil-plant-human ecosystem functions. The biogeochemical behavior of Se and its environmental impact on the soil-plant-human system has received broad attention in the last decades. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of Se biogeochemistry in the soil-plant-human system. The speciation, transformation, bioavailability as well as the beneficial and hazardous effects of Se in the soil-plant-human system are summarized. Several important aspects in Se in the soil-plant-human system are detailed mentioned, including (1) strategies for biofortification in Se-deficient areas and phytoremediation of soil Se in seleniferous areas; (2) factors affecting Se uptake and transport by plants; (3) metabolic pathways of Se in the human body; (4) the interactions between Se and other trace elements in plant and animals, in particular, the detoxification of heavy metals by Se. Important research hotspots of Se biogeochemistry are outlined, including (1) the coupling of soil microbial activity and the Se biogeochemical cycle; (2) the molecular mechanism of Se metabolic in plants and animals; and (3) the application of Se isotopes as a biogeochemical tracer in research. This review provides up-to-date knowledge and guidelines on Se biogeochemistry research. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China ( 41873047 ), the Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Department funded project ( [2020]4102 ), the Program of China National Tobacco Corporation Project 110202101005 (JY-05), the High-level Innovative Talents Training Program of Guizhou Province (100 levels) ( 2020[6020] ) and Science and Technology Project of Guizhou Company of China Tobacco Corporation ( 2020XM08 ). Runsheng Yin was funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences through the Hundred Talent Plan.