ABSTRACT
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for biological systems and is a “double-edged sword” element for biological health. Atmospheric Se is firstly reported as a complex system and is an important part of the biogeochemical cycle of Se. Volatile organic Se is naturally produced by organisms and microorganisms in the soil, sludge, and ocean, including dimethyl selenide, dimethyl diselenide, methane selenol, dimethyl selenyl sulfide, etc. The determination system for volatile Se is made up of the trapping subsystem and an analytical subsystem. Concentrations of volatile Se in the atmosphere are generally very low and require preconcentration. Microbial methylation is responsible for producing volatile organic Se in terrestrial and marine systems. Technology analyzing gaseous Se compounds includes gas trapping, pretreatment, final instrumental analysis, gas chromatography, and multiple instruments. Atmospheric Se has also been investigated from plant, sediment-water, water-air, and soil-air interfaces.
