Formation of Redox Active Nanoselenium on Reactions of Oxidizing Free Radicals with Selenourea

Reaction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species with selenourea were studied using different fast reaction techniques. In all these cases elemental selenium were produced as one of the reaction product. The size of the elemental selenium can be controlled to nanometer size by addition of bovine serum albumin or sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The particle size, determined by dynamic light scattering studies (DLS), was dependent on the nature of the oxidant and on the amount of stabilizer. Nanoselenium separated from reactants by dialysis showed redox activity. The studies provide a new strategy of developing selenium compounds and modulating elemental selenium for therapeutic purpose. This paper was adjudged as one of the Best Posters in the National Symposium on Radiation & Photochemistry (NSRP-2005) held at University of Karnatak, Dharwad, 17-19 January 2005