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Selenium, which is an essential element for animals and prokaryotes and is a beneficial element for many plants, is the least-common of all the elements essential to life. [ 3 ] [ 63 ] Selenium acts as the catalytic center of several antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase , [ 11 ] and plays a wide variety of other biological roles .
The shortest-lived is 7 B, with a half-life of a mere 350±50 × 10 −24 s, being the boron isotope with the fewest neutrons and a half-life long enough to measure. Some radioisotopes have important roles in scientific research; a few are used in the production of goods for commercial use or, more rarely, as a component of finished products.
For example, boron trifluoride (BF 3) combines eagerly with fluoride sources to give the tetrafluoroborate anion, BF 4 −. Boron trifluoride is used in the petrochemical industry as a catalyst. The halides react with water to form boric acid. [51] Other boron halides include those with B-B bonding, such as B 2 F 4 and B 4 Cl 4. [55]
Excess boron is toxic to plants so care must be taken to ensure correct application rate and even coverage. [7] While boron may be sprayed on leaves, excess will cause plant damage. Application of boron may not correct boron deficiency in alkaline soils because even with the addition of boron, it may remain unavailable for plant absorption.
Levels as low as 0.8 ppm can cause these symptoms to appear in plants particularly boron-sensitive. Most plants, even those tolerant of boron in the soil, will show symptoms of boron toxicity when boron levels are higher than 1.8 ppm. [18] In animals, boron is an ultratrace element; in human diets, daily intake ranges from 2.1 to 4.3 mg boron ...
Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth and reproduction, plant metabolism and their external supply. In its absence the plant is unable to complete a normal life cycle, or that the element is part of some essential plant constituent or metabolite .
Borate anions are largely in the form of the undissociated acid in aqueous solution at physiological pH. No further metabolism occurs in either animals or plants. In animals, boric acid/borate salts are essentially completely absorbed following oral ingestion. Absorption occurs via inhalation, although quantitative data are unavailable.
Nutrients in the soil are taken up by the plant through its roots, and in particular its root hairs.To be taken up by a plant, a nutrient element must be located near the root surface; however, the supply of nutrients in contact with the root is rapidly depleted within a distance of ca. 2 mm. [14] There are three basic mechanisms whereby nutrient ions dissolved in the soil solution are brought ...