Recent research progress on the synthesis and biological effects of selenium nanoparticles

Abstract

Selenium is an essential trace element for the human body, with the chemical and physical characteristics of both metals and nonmetals. Selenium has bioactivities related to the immune system, antioxidation, anti-virus, and anti-cancer. At the same time, it also plays a role in reducing and alleviating the toxicity of heavy metals. Compared with inorganic selenium, organic selenium is less toxic and has greater bioavailability. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have the advantages of high absorption rate, high biological activity, and low toxicity, and can be directly absorbed by the human body and converted to organic selenium. Selenium nanoparticles have gradually replaced the traditional selenium supplement and has broad prospects in the food and medical industries. In this paper, the chemical, physical, and biological methods for the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles are reviewed, and the microbial synthesis methods of selenium nanoparticles, the effects of selenium nanoparticles on crop growth, and the antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-tumor effects of selenium nanoparticles are also systematically summarized. In addition, we evaluate the application of selenium nanoparticles in selenium nutrition enhancement, providing support for the application of selenium nanoparticles in animals, plants, and humans.

Effects of Storage in an Active and Spontaneous Controlled O2/CO2 Atmosphere on Volatile Flavor Components and the Microbiome of Truffles

“…Pseudomonas is an obligate aerobic Gram-negative bacillus that promotes the growth and development of truffles before harvest; it is the main pathogenic bacterial species detected in fruits, vegetables, and edible fungi . It secretes cell wall-degrading enzymes, thereby destroying cell tissues, which cause the degradation of lettuce, tomato, and other fruit and vegetable tissues, and the surface is sticky and odorous .…”

Catechins and Selenium Species—How They React with Each Other

“…The methods for the synthesis of SeNPs that involve naturally occurring substances in plant extracts are preferred as they could act both as reducing agents and stabilizers [26][27][28]. That approach requires non-toxic solvents, mild temperatures, and a reducing agent that is easily accessible, cheap, and not harmful to the environment.…”

“…The UV-Vis spectra of the binary mixtures containing Se(IV) and studied cate recorded at various time intervals are present in Figure 5. It can be seen that with inc The aqueous extract of different plants containing several compounds, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, carbohydrates, proteins, tannins, and steroids, is often used for the green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles [26][27][28]. Selenium precursor (Se(IV) compounds are the most often used) is mixed with the plant extract solution at different ratios and stirred for different periods, sometimes with heating.…”

“…They can be directly absorbed by the human body, having broad prospects in medical applications [24,25]. SeNPs can be synthesized by chemical reducing agents, phytoconstituents of plant extracts, and microorganisms [26][27][28]. The secondary plant metabolites act as selenium reducers but also prevent the aggregation of NPs and promote the production of smaller particles.…”

Advances in the Study of Selenium‐Enriched Probiotics: From the Inorganic Se into Se Nanoparticles

“…[5] However, Se exists mainly in an inorganic form in nature and it is hard for people and animals to absorb and utilize due to its high toxicity and low biological activity. [6,7] Hence, transforming inorganic Se into an organic form is an effective way to ameliorate Se deficiency. Among the existing methods of organic Se transformation, the bio-enrichment method has gained a wide range of attention because of its high stability, low toxicity, and environmentfriendly property.…”