Effects of Selenium Species on the Belousov–Zhabotinsky Reaction

Abstract

The effects of selenium species on the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (B–Z) reaction were investigated by adding them to the system before and during oscillation. When selenium species were added into the system before oscillation, sodium selenite prolonged the induction period, whose effect was strong as sodium selenite could consume malonic acid to prohibit the accumulation of bromomalonic acid. For selenomethionine and selenocystine, their effects were derived from their reaction with •CH2COOH and •Br2 – producing a radical cation of selenoamino acids, which prohibited the accumulation of bromomalonic acid. Here, the selenium atoms in selenoamino acids, as reactive centers, took part in the redox reaction. As a result, the induction period was prolonged. However, as a diselenide, selenocystine can reduce bromate in acidic medium, which led to shortening of the induction period. Therefore, the effect of selenocystine on the induction period was the result of two opposite effects. Nanoselenium shortened the induction period in a certain concentration range because bromate was directly reduced by nanoselenium and the accumulation of bromomalonic acid was promoted. Furthermore, the dose perturbation effect was investigated by the injection of nanoselenium during oscillation. It was found that the amplitude was increased or decreased in a dose-dependent fashion when nanoselenium was injected at peak or trough of the time-dependent redox potential curve.