Uptake of selenium by aquatic organisms

Abstract

The Se content of aquatic organisms was lowest in aquatic plants, varying from 0.02 to 0.14 ppm (dry wt). Plankton samples contained from 1.1 to 2.4 ppm, fishes cultured in ponds 0.5 to 0.9 ppm, and fishes from natural environments 1.0 to 2.9 ppm. The phytoplankter, Scenedesmus dimorphus, actively concentrated 75 Se‐selenomethionine, but neither actively nor passively concentrated inorganic selenite. The zooplankton, consisting mostly of Daphnia pulex, absorbed 75 Se from selenite. In aquariums fish concentrated only a small amount of organic or inorganic Se directly from water, but did concentrate Se from food.