Investigation of possibility of removing heavy metal poisoning using selenium nanoparticles

Modern technological progress requires new solutions to stabilize human and animal health due to the increasing man-made impact on the environment. Global metal production is increasing annually, leading to continuous environmental pollution. It is particularly worth noting the negative effects of heavy metals, which have a prolonged and negative effect on living organisms. One potential application of selenium nanoparticles is their use in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning and given the literature on the potential use of organoselenium compounds for this purpose, and in small doses at that, this suggests not direct complexation with heavy metals, but rather the activation of the body’s immune and antioxidant systems, thereby preventing the negative effects of toxicants. We have developed a new method for synthesizing selenium nanoparticles. This synthesis technique allows for the production of nanoparticles of similar sizes, which should positively impact their biological activity. Selenium nanoparticles were synthesized from dichlorodiacetophenonyl selenide using ammonia and stabilization of TVIN-80 nanoparticles. Selenium nanoparticles were found to reduce the severity of heavy metal poisoning, using copper chloride, mercuric nitrate and cadmium sulfate as examples, when administered orally to BALB/c mice at a dose of 1 mg/kg with an LD50 of 200 mg/kg. This suggests the potential for using these nanoparticles to prevent the toxic effects of heavy metals on the body.