Nuttall K L
Med Hypotheses. 1987 Oct;24(2):217-21. doi: 10.1016/0306-9877(87)90107-1.
The essential trace element selenium is known to be capable of reducing the toxicity of heavy metals like cadmium(II), mercury(II) and silver(I). One mechanism by which this occurs is through the formation of an inert metal selenide like silver selenide. It is not clear why selenide should react in the body preferentially with silver(I) over other metals such as zinc(II), an ion which is capable of forming zinc selenide, and which is present at relatively high levels. A reaction is discussed which can account for the ability of mercury(II) and silver(I) to lead to metal selenide formation in preference to zinc(II). Metal ions which have a sufficiently large formation constant for the metal selenide can induce the disproportionation of elemental selenium to produce the metal selenide; both mercury(II) and silver(I) can induce such reactions, whereas zinc(II) cannot. If this model is accurate, it should provide a basis to predict which metal ions can produce metal selenides in the body, and which ions are unlikely to result in metal selenide formation.
已知必需微量元素硒能够降低镉（II）、汞（II）和银（I）等重金属的毒性。发生这种情况的一种机制是通过形成一种惰性金属硒化物，如硒化银。目前尚不清楚为什么在体内硒化物会优先与银（I）反应，而不是与其他金属如锌（II）反应，锌（II）是一种能够形成硒化锌的离子，并且在体内以相对较高的水平存在。本文讨论了一种反应，该反应可以解释汞（II）和银（I）优先于锌（II）导致金属硒化物形成的能力。对于金属硒化物具有足够大形成常数的金属离子可以诱导元素硒歧化以产生金属硒化物；汞（II）和银（I）都可以诱导此类反应，而锌（II）则不能。如果该模型准确，它应该为预测哪些金属离子可以在体内产生金属硒化物以及哪些离子不太可能导致金属硒化物形成提供依据。
