Abstract
Conclusion
Ascorbic acid reduces in the cold selenious acid, a straight sodium selenite solution, or one alkalinized or acidified. Reducing carbohydrates reduce only the alkalinized solution on heating. Thio compounds, including cysteine and glutathione, also reduce at room temperature the straight sodium selenite solution and the alkalinized solution, but the acidified solution only on the application of heat, A number of aldehydes, ketones, polyphenols, and creatinine also reduce the acidified selenite solution, but only on heating. Ascorbic acid differs from all the organic substances we have thus far tested, since it possesses the unique and specific property of reducing the acidified selenite reagent in the cold. The acidified sodium selenite reagent applied to plant and animal tissue rich in ascorbic acid is easily reduced in the cold with the formation of a brick red color characteristic of free selenium.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.