The official first action AOAC fluorometric method for selenium in plants, 3.074–3.078, has been modified to simplify the method and to make it more accurate. The digestion time has been increased from 15 to 30 min past the appearance of perchloric acid fumes to better assure complete oxidation of all forms of selenium to selenite. Preparation of the 2,3-diaminonaphthalene solution, the reagent used for fluorometric analysis, has been changed so that the reagent is stable for several weeks; in the previous writeup, this solution had to be prepared daily. Special equipment (micro-Kjeldahl flasks with ground glass joints) has been eliminated and cyclohexane has been substituted for decahydronaphthalene. The modified method is convenient and applicable to a wide range of materials; it yields results comparable to those from the official method.

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This review was undertaken to establish what might be the maximum safe dose of selenium that could be administered to man in studies on the use of the element in cancer prevention. The early history of selenium poisoning is briefly summarized. The literature on clinical signs and toxicity data for acute and for chronic selenosis in farm and experimental animals is discussed. Several cases of acute selenosis in man are reviewed, and a number of reports on chronic selenosis in man are reviewed and evaluated. Based on these, the maximum safe single oral dose of selenite, selenate, DL-selenocysteine, or DL-selenomethionine is suggested as 0.05 mg Se/kg body weight (milligrams of selenium per kilogram of body weight). The maximum safe multiple oral dose is suggested as 5 μg Se/kg body weight.

A previously reported method for the determination of Se in biological materials has been slightly modified for use on plant materials. Based on a wet digestion and measurement of the fluorescence of the piazselenol formed on reaction with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, the method as used is sensitive to about 0.02 μg Se. The results of several studies of the method, including a collaborative study, are reported. This method is recommended for adoption as official first action.