22 Selenium Facts To Aid Your Child's Interest In Chemistry

Did you know that anti-dandruff shampoos contain selenium?

Selenium is one essential element that might be considered rare by some. It is significant as part of many reactions and processes whose products we enjoy in our lives.

Selenium was discovered by Jons Jacob Berzelius and Johan Gottlieb Gahn in Sweden in 1817. While Jakob was working in a sulfuric acid (alternatively spelled sulphuric acid) manufacturing facility, he came across a sulfur-like deposit that was red in color.

At first, he thought it was another element known as tellurium. However, on further inspection, he realized that he had, in fact, discovered a new element entirely.

This new element was then named selenium; the name originates from the Greek word 'Selene,' the name of the Greek moon goddess. One of the fascinating selenium fun facts is that in the periodic table of elements, selenium is placed right above tellurium, which in Greek closely means earth.

Furthermore, there is a possibility that selenium was actually first discovered in 1300 by Arnold of Villanova, who was an alchemist.

He had been a physician for Pope Clement V. In his book titled 'Rosarium Philosophorum,' Villanova explains that a kind of red sulfur, which he refers to as 'sulfur rebeum' is left behind inside the oven when the vaporization of native sulfur is completed.

One of the fun facts about selenium is that gray selenium can conduct electricity when it is exposed to light. In the past, a metallic allotrope or compound of selenium was used in the creation of solar cells and photoelectric circuits. Read on to explore more selenium interesting facts.

The Importance Of Selenium

Selenium is a very significant mineral whose presence can provide several benefits, and whose absence can cause a deficiency in the human body. Below you will find the various aspects of life in which selenium plays an important role.

• The presence of selenium in the human body is beneficial for maintaining adequate health in the joints, eyes, and heart.
• Selenium is a nutrient that aids in the synthesis of DNA.
• Selenium also helps in boosting the immune system and improving the reproductive system.
• Some research also shows that selenium can help treat and fight various serious diseases, including some forms of cancer, depending upon the individual case.
• This nutrient is beneficial when it is consumed at its normal value. But high doses of selenium can also be toxic.
• In addition to being good for your health, selenium is an element that is also used in the creation of many things and in some processes too.
• Selenium can be used to make pigments, glass, and beads. This use of selenium is fairly common.
• It is utilized in photographic toners and in xerography to copy documents.
• Selenium is useful in light meters and photocells. It is also utilized in the glass industry for the decolorization of glass.
• The glasses of the ruby-red color are possible because of the selenium presence.
• Selenium also has some electronic application uses as it is utilized to make rectifiers.

Chemical Value Of Selenium

Selenium is an element present in the periodic table of all the existing elements discovered by humans. The various chemical and elemental properties of selenium are mentioned below.

• Selenium occupies the 34th element in the periodic table. This also means that the atomic number of selenium is 34.
• Like every other element on the periodic table, selenium has an atomic symbol, too, which is 'Se.' This atomic symbol is used when expressing a chemical reaction involving selenium or one of its compounds.
• The atomic mass, or weight, of selenium is 78.96.
• Selenium's state at room temperature is solid.
• The melting point of selenium is 428 F (220 C), and its boiling point is 1,264.64 F (684.8 C).
• Selenium has many isotopes, but only six of them are known as stable isotopes.
• Selenium is positioned right below sulfur, and both elements share similar physical as well as chemical properties.
• There are many allotropes of selenium, but only three are well known. The first one is amorphous selenium, which is present in powder and vitreous or glassy forms. While in the former, it is red in color, in the latter phase it is black.
• Another allotrope of selenium is crystalline hexagonal selenium, which is considered to be the most stable allotropic form of selenium. This allotrope is metallic gray.
• The third allotrope is crystalline monoclinic selenium, which is present in a deep red color.
• Selenium is grouped as a chalcogen and is a non-metal.
• It can be found independently in nature, but it is often present as a compound such as zinc selenide or selenium dioxide.
• It is also a part of rare minerals like clausthalite.
• When it is used in chemical reactions, selenous acid is an effective catalyst.
• Out of all the selenium compounds, hydrogen selenide is the most toxic one. It is present in gaseous form.

Plants With High Amounts Of Selenium

Selenium's natural abundance on earth can be found in many places. Research has found that levels of selenium are high in seafood and some kinds of organ meat. It is even present in the water that people drink in some places.

• If there is selenium present in the soil, it can influence the amount of selenium in the food that grows in it. This is further affected by factors such as the pH of the soil.
• Vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli also have a high level of selenium presence.
• Plants like Brazil nuts and garlic, when grown in soil that has a rich amount of selenium, can collect the mineral too.
• Some grains and cereals like wheat can have a fairly high content of selenium too.

Symptoms Of Selenium Deficiency

There are many selenium benefits for good health. And like many other nutrients, selenium is also a trace element whose deficiency in the human body can cause some health-related issues, ranging from mild to severe ones. Check out the following facts about this deficiency.

• The deficiency of selenium results from a lower-than-normal amount of selenium present in the body.
• An inadequate amount of this mineral in the body can cause muscle weakness, fatigue, and mental fog.
• The symptoms may also include a weak immune system and hair loss.
• It can also lead to infertility among women and men.
• There are various factors that can decrease the amount of selenium in the body. These include suffering from a digestive disorder like Crohn's disease, being HIV positive, and going through the dialysis process.
• To recover from a selenium deficiency, you would ideally need to take selenium supplementation or eat selenium-rich food items.