Summary
This 2017 critical review examines the biogeochemical behaviour of selenium across the soil–plant–human continuum, as suggested by the title and journal scope. The authors synthesise evidence on how selenium chemistry in soils (oxidation state, sorption, mineralogy) influences plant uptake and grain or forage selenium concentration, and how these in turn affect human dietary adequacy and disease risk. The review appears to bridge soil geochemistry, agronomy, and nutritional epidemiology to clarify mechanisms linking soil selenium status to population health outcomes.
UK applicability
UK soils are generally selenium-deficient, making this review potentially relevant to understanding baseline selenium status and options for agronomic biofortification or dietary supplementation. The geochemical principles will apply universally, though UK-specific transfer coefficients and crop responses would require local validation.
Key measures
Selenium speciation (inorganic and organic forms); soil–plant transfer coefficients; bioavailability in plant tissues; human intake and health thresholds
Outcomes reported
This critical review synthesises evidence on selenium speciation, mobility, and bioavailability in soil–plant systems, and traces the pathways by which soil selenium status influences human dietary intake and health outcomes.
Topic tags
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