Selenium is a toxicant or antitoxicant

The article deals with the issues of selenium content in plants, soil and human body, toxic and antitoxic properties of selenium.The studies were carried out on dried raw materials harvested in 2019 and 2021: stems, flowers and leaves of blueberries, chamomile, linden and oregano.The content of Se and other elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Ti.B, Pb, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, As and Cu) were determined both in plant material and in the soils of eastern Georgia (Abastumani) and western (Khulo), as well as in the hair of people living in this territory.The dependence of the selenium content on the type of plant and the time of its collection, the type of soil and distribution area was established, and an analysis was made of the Se coupling in these territories inhabitants hair.The influence of selenium on the accumulation of heavy metals in the objects of study was determined.It has been established that the largest amount of selenium is contained in the linden leaf, and the smallest -in the oregano leaf; selenium content increases in the order: leaf>flower>stem; the content of selenium in the soil of eastern Georgia (Abastumani) is 13 times higher than that in the soil of western Georgia (Khulo): Abastumani (0.051 g/l)Khulo (0.039 g/l).It has been established that selenium accumulates in the hair: the amount of selenium in the hair of a young girl (0.152 g/l) is 70% higher than in the hair of a 60-year-old woman (0.055 g/l).A high selenium to iodine ratio indicates gout and diabetes.It was found that an 18-year-old girl developed hypothyroidism due to an excess of selenium.It has been established that the amount of calcium and potassium is 2-5 times higher than the amount of magnesium.A relationship has been established between the content of selenium and lead: with an increase in the amount of lead, the amount of selenium sometimes decreases almost to a trace amount.In the objects of study, the amount of lead is 100-200 times higher than the amount of selenium.The largest amount of aluminum is found in the leaf, flowers of linden and oregano, the smallest -in the leaf of chamomile, iron in the flowers, and manganese in the leaves of the lind.The relationship between the content of selenium and arsenic, iron, phosphorus, zinc and manganese has been proven.An increase in phosphorus, zinc and manganese content reduces iron absorption and an increase in arsenic content causes a decrease in selenium content.