Is selenium a global contaminant of potential concern?
Selenium is not a new contaminant, but its environmental presence and significance are only now being evaluated. It has been and will continue to be "discovered" in a variety of water bodies generally due to improved analytical chemical detection limits. It has the potential to cause deleterious effects on aquatic life at environmentally relevant concentrations, and there is no definitive regulatory standard for chronic effects. The US Environmental Protection Agency (2004) has recognized the need for a tissue Guideline/criterion, but has not yet finalized such a value. A SETA Pellston Workshop (Pensacola, FL, USA, February 23-28, 2009) has determined the state-of-the-science related to ecological assessment of Se in the aquatic environment. The Workshop Executive Summary will shortly be forthcoming followed by a more detailed book published by SETAC Press. However, this workshop was constrained by the areas of the world (see above) where Se has been recognized as a contaminant of potential concern and for which information is available. Thus, by way of this Learned Discourse I solicit information from readers as to whether Se is present at concentrations of concern in other parts of the world than North America, Australia, and New Zealand and, if so, "So what?" (i. e., are there adverse effects to individuals and/or impacts to populations of fish, water birds, and/or amphibians?).
Chapman
Peter M
PM
Golder Associates, Vancouver, BC, Canada. pmchapman@golder.com
D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D014943:Global Health; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012643:Selenium