High Selenium levels in latest triton tests

Mortie31

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Hi All
My last 2 triton tests have come back with high selenium levels 27ug/l in Jan and now 77ug/l. Any ideas where this could be coming from? And more importantly are those levels dangerous and any way to reduce them if I need to?
Thanks
 
I've not see much data, but here's a review which suggests your levels may not be high enough for substantial effects, but may be getting close.:

http://www.ivl.se/download/18.343dc99d14e8bb0f58b7417/1445515506056/B1486.pdf

The toxicity of selenium to aquatic organisms. Turner and Rudd (1983) summarised older (1959-1983) literature data on the toxicity of Se to aquatic biota (table 2). They found a wide range on acute toxicity values, 96-h LC50 values for zooplankton, for instance. varied between 0.12 and 183 mg l-1. The lowest effect level reported in their summary was 50 µg l-1,. at which concentration growth of certain species of algae was reduced. The speciation of the added Se is not mentioned in the latter study. while selenite was added in the other studies. The importance of the speciation of both the Se and the test organism was demonstrated by Ingersoll et al. (1990). Seleno-L-methionine was extremely toxic to daphnids (Daphnia magna); mortality was 50 to 70% after 48h at concentrations of 4 to 8 g l-1, while acutely lethal concentrations for midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) were about 1000 times higher (5.78 mg l-1). The 48-h LC50 values for both species exposed to selenite or selenate ranged between 0.7 and 16.2 mg l-1. At long term exposure (21- 30 days) to a 6: 1 mixture of selenate to selenite, the emergence time of adult midges was delayed at Se concentrations ≥ 837 µg l-l, while growth of adult daphnids was reduced at Se ≥ 156 µg l-1. A maximum acceptable toxicant concentration for selenite between 44 and 93 µg l-1 was indicated for growth and viability of juveniles of the marine amphipod Allorchestes compressa exposed to sodium selenite and to (Ahsanullah and Palmer, 19801 Ahsanullah and Brand 1985). Selenium at the same concentrations in mixtures of sea water and seleniferous leachate from coal fly-ash (5% leachate) was less toxic than the pure sodium selenite. The concentrations that lead to acutely toxic effects on the amphipod were more than ten-fold higher. Ornes et al. (1991) found reduced growth in floating aquatic plants at water concentration <2.5. mg Se l-1, added as sodium selenate. The selenate ion is also a competitive antagonist to sulphate at sulphate reduction by bacteria, resulting in growth inhibition for the bacteria (Postgate, 1984).
 
I've not see much data, but here's a review which suggests your levels may not be high enough for substantial effects, but may be getting close.:

http://www.ivl.se/download/18.343dc99d14e8bb0f58b7417/1445515506056/B1486.pdf

The toxicity of selenium to aquatic organisms. Turner and Rudd (1983) summarised older (1959-1983) literature data on the toxicity of Se to aquatic biota (table 2). They found a wide range on acute toxicity values, 96-h LC50 values for zooplankton, for instance. varied between 0.12 and 183 mg l-1. The lowest effect level reported in their summary was 50 µg l-1,. at which concentration growth of certain species of algae was reduced. The speciation of the added Se is not mentioned in the latter study. while selenite was added in the other studies. The importance of the speciation of both the Se and the test organism was demonstrated by Ingersoll et al. (1990). Seleno-L-methionine was extremely toxic to daphnids (Daphnia magna); mortality was 50 to 70% after 48h at concentrations of 4 to 8 g l-1, while acutely lethal concentrations for midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) were about 1000 times higher (5.78 mg l-1). The 48-h LC50 values for both species exposed to selenite or selenate ranged between 0.7 and 16.2 mg l-1. At long term exposure (21- 30 days) to a 6: 1 mixture of selenate to selenite, the emergence time of adult midges was delayed at Se concentrations ≥ 837 µg l-l, while growth of adult daphnids was reduced at Se ≥ 156 µg l-1. A maximum acceptable toxicant concentration for selenite between 44 and 93 µg l-1 was indicated for growth and viability of juveniles of the marine amphipod Allorchestes compressa exposed to sodium selenite and to (Ahsanullah and Palmer, 19801 Ahsanullah and Brand 1985). Selenium at the same concentrations in mixtures of sea water and seleniferous leachate from coal fly-ash (5% leachate) was less toxic than the pure sodium selenite. The concentrations that lead to acutely toxic effects on the amphipod were more than ten-fold higher. Ornes et al. (1991) found reduced growth in floating aquatic plants at water concentration <2.5. mg Se l-1, added as sodium selenate. The selenate ion is also a competitive antagonist to sulphate at sulphate reduction by bacteria, resulting in growth inhibition for the bacteria (Postgate, 1984).
Thanks Randy, now I need to find out wear it’s coming from and do some water changes
 
I’ve just read on another thread that brightwell Neomarine salt may of been the culprit for another reefer..
 
Yes indeed, I can only find 3 references to ICPs and raised Selenium and in all case Neomarine salt was being used. It’s a shame as it mixed up to give perfect parameters for me
 
I recently had 8.013 Se on an ICP test and I have recently used NeoMarine salt and have seen other reports suspecting this salt so I have changed brand. However, after reading the previous post regarding half life / concentrations in zooplankton I'm left wondering why Triton suggest it's a major issue at my levels. I have a healthy copepod population that can be seen on the aquarium glass.
The finger seems to be well and truly pointing at NeoMarine but why on earth is it contained in what is purported to be composed of high quality anhydrous salts?
 
I recently had 8.013 Se on an ICP test and I have recently used NeoMarine salt and have seen other reports suspecting this salt so I have changed brand. However, after reading the previous post regarding half life / concentrations in zooplankton I'm left wondering why Triton suggest it's a major issue at my levels. I have a healthy copepod population that can be seen on the aquarium glass.
The finger seems to be well and truly pointing at NeoMarine but why on earth is it contained in what is purported to be composed of high quality anhydrous salts?
 
My Selenium levels are back to 0 on my latest triton, I added the aluminium PO4 remover but also did 2 x 200L water changes using a 50/50 mix of Neomarine and Red Sea blue salts. So unfortunately I haven’t learnt anything as I can’t say what removed the Selenium definitively, although if I have just done the water changes I wouldn’t of expected the figure for Selenium to be 0, so maybe the activated aluminium did do something...
 

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