Chemical Properties
White crystalline powder
Uses
Sodium selenate has been used as an inorganic source of selenium:
- to study its effect on the immune response and disease resistance of prawn
- to study its antioxidant defense and in glucose homeostasis in streptozotocin-induced diabetes
- as standard in enzymatic hydrolysis
Uses
Sodium selenate is used in glass industry, and produces red hue in glass. It acts as a decoloring agent in glass production. Combined with ferrous oxides, it produces colorless glass. Appropriate preparation of sodium selenate is used in multivitamins.
Uses
Reagent, insecticide for nonedible plants.
Definition
ChEBI: An inorganic sodium salt having selenate as the counterion.
General Description
Colorless rhombic crystals. Used as an insecticide in some horticultural applications.
Air & Water Reactions
Water soluble.
Reactivity Profile
Sodium selenate has weak oxidizing or reducing powers. Redox reactions can however still occur. The majority of compounds in this class are slightly soluble or insoluble in water. If soluble in water, then the solutions are usually neither strongly acidic nor strongly basic. These compounds are not water-reactive. Light sensitive
Hazard
Toxic by ingestion.
Health Hazard
Causes damage to liver and kidneys. Resembles arsenic in its effects.
Fire Hazard
Fire may produce irritating or poisonous gas. Emits toxic selenium and sodium oxide fumes when heated to decomposition. Avoid decomposing heat.
Safety Profile
Poison by ingestion,
intravenous, subcutaneous, and
intraperitoneal routes. Questionablecarcinogen with experimental carcinogenic
and teratogenic data. Human systemic
effects by ingestion: EKG changes,
hypermotility, diarrhea, and liver
impairment. Experimental reproductive
effects. Effects sdar to those of arsenic.
Mutation data reported. A pesticide. When
heated to decomposition it emits toxic
fumes of Se and NanO. See also
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS and
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS.
Purification Methods
Crystallise sodium selenate from hot water. [Fehér in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 433 1963].
Toxics Screening Level
The ITSL for selenium and inorganic selenium compounds (selenic acid) is 2 μg/m3 based on an 8-hour averaging time.
