Selenium status in soils in Yugoslavia.

In the last 8 years, a number of data on selenium (Se) content and distribution in the soil of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) became available. The Se content of the soil in Yugoslavia varies in a broad range 39 to 440 microg/kg (mean value 230 microg/kg; n = 284). The soil clay fraction is rich in Se (range 146 to 586 microg/kg) in relation to sand and silt fractions. The available Se content (after extraction with ammonium acetate and EDTA) varies in the range of 1.2 to 28.2% of the total Se content. The speciation of Se is shown for the soils derived from volcanic rocks in Serbia. In addition, the influence of some soil properties on the Se content, as well as its content in the rocks, sediment, and wild plants in Yugoslavia, is discussed. The geographical distribution of Se in the soil of Yugoslavia shows that it is found in inadequate amounts in many agricultural regions. Its low content in soil has been thought to be associated with a higher incidence of some diseases. The Se content of the soil in Yugoslavia is not fully known. There is a great need to make a systematic geochemical mapping for Se and other trace elements in the soil.