title: Study of a low-selenium environment in China by INAA and Mössbauer spectrometry.
abstract: The neutron activation analysis, gamma coincidence spectroscopy, nondispersive hydrogen flame atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, and Mössbauer spectrometry were used to study the low-selenium environment of the Exi Autonomous Prefecture, a well-known Keshan disease region. The Se contents in the soil samples there range from 0.075-0.18 mg/kg with the average of 0.13 mg/kg, whereas in the maize from 0.001-0.018 mg/kg with the average of 0.0099 mg/kg. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectrum of the soil indicates an anoxic environment. In addition to the FE3+ species the compounds containing low-valence iron e.g., goethite, and so forth, also exist. The rare earth element (REE) pattern obtained by NAA further confirms the reductive soil environment, which causes the selenium deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Institute of High Energy Physics, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000172:deficiency*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D015204:Spectroscopy, Mossbauer; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D012987:Soil; D014131:Trace Elements; D012643:Selenium