CHAPTER 9: Identification of Selenometabolites in Animals and Plants by Mass Spectrometry

As selenium (Se) is a nonmetal, it is transformed into Se-containing compounds having carbon–Se covalent bond(s), i.e., selenometabolites, in the metabolic pathway. Thus, it is necessary to identify selenometabolites to completely reveal the metabolic pathway of Se and understand the physiological and toxicological effects of selenometabolites. However, as Se is an essential trace element, selenometabolites exist in extremely small amounts in animals. The difficulty of detecting and identifying selenometabolites has been overcome with the emergence of several mass spectrometers, such as an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and an electrospray tandem mass spectrometer. In this chapter, mass-spectrometric techniques for the identification of selenometabolites in animal and plants are discussed.