Since SeIV is naturally present in human blood plasma [70], the formation of these compounds and their biochemical
fate strongly suggests that they are detoxification products. Although
their in vivo formation appears to protect mammalian organisms from
the adverse effects of AsIII and Hg2+ in the short term, the chronic ingestion
of AsIII and Hg2+ over extended periods of time is likely to effectively
decrease the bioavailability of the essential ultratrace element Se