The use of selenium supplements is widespread and most of the supplements use selenium-enriched yeast in their formulation. Studies made on supplements do not have the appropriate Se-species for optimal absorption in the human body. This study presents and compares methods for the best selenium yeast enrichment that could ultimately be used in selenium supplement formulations.
The enantiomeric separation of three underivatized seleno-amino acids, D,L-selenocystine, and D,L-selenomethionine, and D,L-selenomethionine, with UV and ICP-MS detection is described. An HPLC column with a chiral crown ether stationary phase and a mobile phase of 0.10 M HCIO4 was used. Absolute detection limits obtained with UV detection ranged from 34.5 to 47.1 ng whereas those obtained with the plasma detector were ca. 40-400 times better. The separations with either detector were good, with the little detector effect on the resolution. Ten commercially available dietary selenium supplements were analyzed using the chiral column to identify and quantify the selenium species present with both detection modes. Selenium species were easily identified using ICP-MS detection, whereas UV detection was not viable because of interferences from the sample matrix and inadequate sensitivity. Selenium species that were unretained using the chiral column were identified using anion exchange chromatography. Total amounts in the samples were also measured using a conventional digestion and enzymatic digestion with ICP-MS detection.
Different techniques have been employed in order to evaluate the most efficient procedure for the extraction of selenium from soil as required for speciation. Selenium contaminated sediments from Stewart Lake Wetland, California were used. A strong acid mineralization of the samples gives quantitative total selenium, which is then used to estimate recoveries for the milder extraction methods. The different extraction methodologies involve the sequential use of water, buffer (phosphate, pH 7) and either acid solution (e.g. HNO3 or HCl) or basic solutions (e.g. ammonium acetate, NaOH or TMAH). Pyrophosphate extraction was also evaluated and showed that selenium was not associated with humic acids. The extractants were subsequently analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV (254 and 400 nm) and on-line ICP-MS detection; anion exchange chromatography, and ion-pair reversed phase chromatography with ICP-MS detection. For sequential extractions the extraction efficiencies showed that the basic extractions were more efficient than the acidic. The difference between the acidic and the basic extraction efficiency is carried to the sulfite extraction, suggesting that whatever is not extracted by the acid is subsequently extracted by the sulfite. The species identified with the different chromatographies were selenate, selenite, elemental selenium and some organic selenium.
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