Reviews on atmospheric selenium: Emissions, speciation and fate

The atmosphere is an important transient reservoir of selenium (Se). According to recent evaluations of the global Se budget, approximately 13,000–19,000 tons of Se is cycled through the troposphere annually. Most studies suggest that atmospheric deposition is an important source of Se contamination and it is therefore critical to evaluate the source emissions and fate of Se in the atmosphere. This paper presents a broad overview of current state of knowledge and understanding of major aspects of atmospheric Se and its natural and anthropogenic sources. The significant physical and chemical species encountered in the atmosphere are examined and special attention is paid to atmospheric speciation and its atmospheric pathways and processes. In addition, thermodynamic and kinetic data for atmospheric Se speciation are provided, which aid our understanding and the modelling of Se behaviour in the atmospheric environment. We also document how Se isotopes might be useful for tracing atmospheric sources and pathways. Important gaps in our current knowledge of Se in the atmospheric environment are identified, and suggestions for future research are offered.