The recent biological applications of selenium-based nanomaterials

As an essential trace element, selenium participates in numerous important life processes and plays a significant role for human beings. Owning to its unique physical, chemical and biochemical properties, selenium has attracted numerous attentions in biosensing, catalysis, diagnosis as well as treatment of diseases. Traditional research concerns are mainly focused on organoselenium compounds or polymers. However, their practical application is often hampered by their intrinsic drawbacks, such as complex preparation, high toxicity and low recycling efficiency. With the development of nanotechnology, numerous functional selenium-based nanomaterials such as selenium nanoparticles, quantum dots, graphene oxide-selenium nanocomposites, and [email protected] nanoparticles, etc. have been constructed and shown great promises in various field of research. In this review, new constructed selenium-based nanomaterials are included and we will systematically introduce recent research progress of selenium-based nanomaterials in areas as diverse as biomedical diagnosis and imaging, antibacteria and anti-virus, cancer therapy and cytoprotection, etc. The current challenges and future prospects are also summarized and discussed. We hope this review may provide a comprehensive understanding on the latest progress of selenium-based nanomaterials and promote their future development.