Impact of high selenium exposure on organ function biochemical profile of the rural population living in seleniferous soils in Punjab, India

摘要

Rural areas in the three districts of Punjab in India(lying in the Shivalik foothills) have been found to have soil rich in selenium (Se). About 2160 hectare area is seleniferous and is populated by about 10,000 inhabitants. A number of studies have been conducted in the area to identify the high Se pockets and to study the effect of Se toxicity in plants and animals. Selenium concentrations in these pockets have been reported to be as high as 65 times over non-seleniferous areas. However, few reports are available on selenium's impact on human health from these areas, except one by Hira et al. (2003). The present study was, therefore, undertaken to assess the impact of high Se exposure to the rural population living in these areas.