Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan Oligosaccharide Selenium Nanoparticles and Selenium Enrichment Evaluation and Mechanism on Soybean Sprouts

Abstract

Biofortification is an effective way to increase micronutrient levels in food crops. This study investigated selenium enrichment as a biofortification strategy in soybean sprouts. Chitosan oligosaccharide selenium nanoparticles (COS-Se NPs) were synthesized and used in soybean sprout culture to study their effects on the sprouts. The results showed that the enrichment factor value (EF) was higher when the concentration was 2.36−9.43 mg•L −1 compared with other concentrations, and the enrichment factor (EF) reached a maximum value of 0.9782 at a COS-Se NP concentration of 4.72 mg•L −1 . Translocation factors (TF radicle-hypocotyl and TF hypocotyl-cotyledon ) reached maximum values of 0.7866 and 0.9723 at 25.15 mg•L −1 and 15.09 mg•L −1 , respectively, suggesting the relationship between enrichment of nanoselenium and concentration was not proportional. Most of the organic selenium was present mainly in the protein fraction, and albumin and glutelin were the main protein-bound seleniums. The contents of protein and biomacromolecule selenium reached higher values at a COS-Se NP concentration of 2.36−9.43 mg•L −1 . Furthermore, the COS-Se NPs at 2.36−9.43 mg•L −1 concentration significantly affected the nutrient parameters in soybean sprouts. Different concentrations of COS-Se NPs were observed to have different effects on the mineral element content of the bean sprouts. In vitro digestion and dialysis experiments showed that the bioavailability of K, Mg, P, and Se was at a high level, while that of Fe and Ca was at a low level in soybean sprouts. Overall, no significant impact on the bioaccessibility of most elements was observed during the enrichment process compared to the control group. This work shows that the selenium enrichment strategy can be a potential soybean sprout production method and help solve the problem of nutritional deficiencies with selenium and reduce malnutrition.

A Review of Selenium (Se) Nanoparticles: From Synthesis to Applications

“…Several studies have shown that SeNPs ingestion leads to accelerated plant growth while reducing heavy metal stress in crops, thereby regulating a range of biofortification effects, such as pest and disease resistance. [84][85][86][87][88][89] For instance, Xu et al demonstrated the use of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) stabilized SeNPs for bean sprout cultivation, which significantly improved nutritional parameters, such as soluble sugar, soluble protein, and vitamin C. Notably, the levels of vital trace elements, such as K, Mg, and P, recognized as the most effective and powerful biologically active components, remained unchanged even after selenium enrichment. [84] Research has also explored the influence of selenium enrichment on various crops, including pepper, [85] celery, [86] maize, [87] and sesame.…”

“…[84][85][86][87][88][89] For instance, Xu et al demonstrated the use of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) stabilized SeNPs for bean sprout cultivation, which significantly improved nutritional parameters, such as soluble sugar, soluble protein, and vitamin C. Notably, the levels of vital trace elements, such as K, Mg, and P, recognized as the most effective and powerful biologically active components, remained unchanged even after selenium enrichment. [84] Research has also explored the influence of selenium enrichment on various crops, including pepper, [85] celery, [86] maize, [87] and sesame. [88] For example, Zhou et al investigated the effects of foliar application of SeO 3 2− and SeNPs on maize physiology, biochemistry, and metabolites (Figure 10).…”