SELENIUM

Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal (more rarely considered a metalloid) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, and also has similarities to arsenic. Selenium is a mineral element with the atomic number 34. Selenium and vitamin E are synergistic and the two together are stronger than each one on its own. Selenium slows down ageing and hardening of tissues through oxidation. Males seem to have a greater need for this mineral. Selenium is a chemical element with atomic number 34 which means there are 34 protons in its nucleus. Total number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number of the atom and is given the symbol Z. The total electrical charge of the nucleus is therefore +Ze, where e (elementary charge) equals to 1,602 x 10-19 coulombs. Selenium trioxide (SeO 3) Interesting facts: It is similar to sulfur in its form and compounds. It converts light into electricity. It decreases electrical resistance with increased illumination. It can convert AC electricity to DC electricity. It is found in several forms, but is usually prepared with a crystalline structure.

Selenium is a mineral element with the atomic number 34. Selenium and vitamin E are synergistic and the two together are stronger than each one on its own. Selenium slows down ageing and hardening of tissues through oxidation. Males seem to have a greater need for this mineral. Nearly half of the total supply in the body is concentrated in the testicles and in the seminal ducts adjacent to the prostate gland. Selenium is useful in keeping youthful elasticity in tissues. It also helps in the prevention and treatment of dandruff and improves the condition of hair and nails.

Selenium is important to mental health as it plays a role in the workings of the thyroid gland and can help to alleviate the mood and reduce symptoms of depression. It is also known to alleviate hot flushes and menopausal distress.

Selenium is an important antioxidant that plays a role in the body's utilisation of oxygen. Alcoholics, as well as patients with candidiasis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC), have all shown low levels of selenium. In addition, heart disease and cancer are higher in people with diminished selenium levels.

Selenium also has a role in detoxifying poisonous phenols, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, hydrocarbons and chlorine. Many people with allergic reactions to these substances have found relief through the use of selenium. However, selenium can be toxic in large amounts.

Selenium Atomic Number

Selenium deficiency

Selenium Atomic Mass Atomic Number

A deficiency of selenium can cause premature loss of stamina.

Selenium overdose

Selenium Atom Model

Too much selenium can cause some toxic effects including gastrointestinal upset, brittle nails, hair loss and mild nerve damage therefore supplements are not advised.

Highest sources of selenium in micrograms per 100 grams

In the modern periodic table, the elements are listed in order of increasing atomic number. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons define the identity of an element (i.e., an element with 6 protons is a carbon atom, no matter how many neutrons may be present). The number of protons determines how many electrons surround the nucleus, and it is the arrangement of these electrons that determines most of the chemical behavior of an element.

In a periodic table arranged in order of increasing atomic number, elements having similar chemical properties naturally line up in the same column (group). For instance, all of the elements in Group 1A are relatively soft metals, react violently with water, and form 1+ charges; all of the elements in Group 8A are unreactive, monatomic gases at room temperature, etc. In other words, there is a periodic repetition of the properties of the chemical elements with increasing mass.

Selenium 75 Atomic Number

In the original periodic table published by Dimitri Mendeleev in 1869, the elements were arranged according to increasing atomic mass— at that time, the nucleus had not yet been discovered, and there was no understanding at all of the interior structure of the atom, so atomic mass was the only guide to use. Once the structure of the nucleus was understood, it became clear that it was the atomic number that governed the properties of the elements.