Genotoxicity Of Selenite On Plants

Selenium (Se) is an important metalloid of industrial, environmental, biological and toxicological significance. It is essential for animals and humans and very important for plant growth. Plants can play a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of selenium. Selenium is absorbed by plants and subsequently by people and animals who eat them. The excess distribution of selenium around the soil, water and air in some regions causes environmental selenium pollution. However, some plant species growing on the polluted soils could accumulate selenium to high dose. It may be toxic to humans through food-chain contamination. Selenite is one of the most toxic forms of selenium and is still commonly used as the additive of selenium supplement foods. Selenium becomes toxic at concentrations higher than those of necessary for nutrition, and its toxic level is relatively close to that required for health. So, human health will be affected by taking excessive selenium. Consequently, it has become important to study the toxic effects of selenium to plants.The plant root tip cells assays, which are considerably less expensive and simple, have been validated in the international collaborative study and...