Selenium Detection Technology in Water: A Review

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans, but excessive intake can cause various diseases and dysfunction. Its level is very low in natural water and becomes a pollutant when it exceeds permissible limits, bringing serious risks and damage to human health. The distribution and pollution of selenium in water, the impact of selenium on health and the limit requirements for selenium in drinking water are introduced. The development of selenium detection techniques is presented, including atomic spectrometry, spectrofluorometry, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), voltammetry, and so on. Different detection methods for selenium have their own characteristics and different applicability. It is necessary to establish a safety monitoring mechanism with large-scale instrument analysis as the main body and on-site rapid screening detection methods as a supplement, providing effective technical support for the detection of selenium in the environment.