Daily intake of Se by adult population of Mumbai, India

The atmospheric Se levels in Mumbai varied between 0.02 and 1.92 ng m(-3) with a mean concentration of 0.21 ng m(-3). The daily intake of Se by the adult population of Mumbai is 61.9 mug day(-1). Differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (DP-CSV) has been used for the determination of Se in air particulate and food samples. The detection limit of Se using DPCSV was found to be 0.05 ng ml(-1). The reliability of estimation was further assessed through the analysis of standard reference materials (SRMs), tuna fish, animal blood, milk powder and fish tissue obtained from IA-EA. The frequency distribution of dietary intake levels of selenium for Mumbai adults showed that approximately 61% of the studied population have a dietary intake of 30-90 mug day(-1). Ingestion was found to be the main route of Se exposure for Mumbai adults. The turn over time of Se through blood is 17 days. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.