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Sodium selenite

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	Sodium selenite
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	Topics Sodium selenite Topic Home Sodium selenite is a chemical compoundChemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a ... with the formulaChemical formula A chemical formula is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compoun... NaFacts About Sodium Sodium is a chemical element which has the symbol Na , atomic number 11, atomic mass 22.9898 g/mol, oxidation number +1.... ₂SeFacts About Selenium Selenium is a chemical element with atomic number 34, with the chemical symbol Se.... OOxygen Oxygen is a chemical element with the chemical symbol O and atomic number 8.... ₃. This salt is the most common water soluble forms of selenium. The industrial production of selenium often involves the extraction of sodium selenite from residues obtained during the purification of copper metal. Acidification of solutions of sodium selenite followed by reduction with sulfur dioxide gives elemental selenium. Synthesis and fundamental reactions The salt is usually prepared by hydrolysis of selenium dioxideSelenium dioxide Selenium dioxide is one of the more frequently encountered compounds of selenium.... : SeO₂ + 2 NaOH ? Na₂SeO₃ + H₂O Acidification gives selenous acid, which, unlike sulfurous acid, is isolable. Akin to the related salt sodium sulfite, Na₂SeO₃ features a pyramidal dianion SeO₃^2- with C_3v symmetry. Oxidation of this anion give sodium selenate, Na₂SeO₄. Applications Together with the related barium and zinc salts, sodium selenite is mainly used in the manufacture of colorless glass. Its pink coloration cancels out the green color imparted by iron impurities. Safety Selenium is an essential element (animals require selenium for selenium-dependent enzymes such as glutathione peroxidaseGlutathione peroxidase Glutathione peroxidase is a peroxidase found in the erythrocytes of mammals that helps prevent lipid peroxidation of the cel... .). Sodium selenite is currently used in some food supplements in microgram quantities, but it is toxic at higher levels. See MSDS. External links