The Impact Of Organoselenium On Medicinal Plants And Chemical Lab Waste On Biodiversity

Abstract

Organoselenium compounds and uncontrolled chemical laboratory waste represent two contrasting but convergent drivers of environmental change with significant implications for plant health and biodiversity. Organoselenium—organic molecules containing selenium such as selenomethionine and Se-methylselenocysteine—can act as micronutrients at low concentrations, enhancing antioxidant capacity and stress tolerance in plants, but become phytotoxic as concentrations increase, altering growth, physiology, and species interactions. Chemical laboratory waste is a heterogeneous mixture of solvents, reagents, heavy metals, antibiotics, and other persistent compounds that can contaminate soils and waterways, disrupt microbial communities, and cascade through food webs. This paper synthesizes current understanding of how organoselenium and chemical lab effluents affect medicinal plants and broader biodiversity. We examine modes of action, dose-dependent plant responses, effects on soil biota and pollinators, synergistic and antagonistic interactions between selenium and co-contaminants, and the ecological consequences for medicinal plant populations and associated ecosystems. Finally, we discuss monitoring approaches, risk mitigation strategies (including green chemistry, proper waste management, and phytoremediation), and research gaps critical for safeguarding biodiversity while enabling responsible use of selenium in agriculture and laboratory settings.