THE RETENTION AND EXCRETION OF SELENIUM AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION OF SODIUM SELENITE TO WHITE RATS

¹ From the Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Young white rats were fed synthetic diets containing sodium selenite at levels of 25, 35 and 50 p.p.m. of selenium. The selenium content of the combined liver, kidneys and spleen of individual rats fed sodium selenite over prolonged periods ranged from 0.03 to 0.17 mgm. or from 0.4 to 2.8 per cent of the selenium ingested. No correlation between the selenium concentration of the diet and that of the organs could be demonstrated. Ingested selenium appeared to be rapidly eliminated by the organism of the rat.

From 20 to 50 per cent of orally ingested selenium was excreted in the feces. No relation between the selenium content of the feces and the concentration of selenium in the diets could be demonstrated. It is believed that the greater part of the fecal selenium originates from dietary selenium which has escaped absorption.