Lead, cadmium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium and magnesium in SPF male rats exposed to a dilution of automotive exhaust gas throughout their lives.
Male pathogen free CFE albino Sprague Dawley rats were exposed 8 h per day, 5 days per week, for three years to a 1/1000 dilution of automotive exhaust gas, containing 58 ppm carbon monoxide, 0.37% carbon dioxide, 23 ppm nitrogen oxides, 2 ppm aldehydes, less than 5 mg/l hydrocarbons and 8.5 micrograms/m3 lead. Lead, cadmium, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium were measured by atomic absorption in the femurs and tibias of the rats which died during the experiment. A comparison with two control groups revealed that the only significant difference in the elements measured in the bones was a 500% increase in lead concentration. The calculations of the correlations between the percentages of the elements in bones, the ages and the body weights of the rats, as well as cluster analysis, did not show consistent variations of the water, calcium, magnesium concentrations nor of the other studied metals related to this increase in lead concentration. Moreover, longevity was the same in the 3 groups of rats, but the body weight was statistically smaller (4%) in the group exposed to the auto exhaust dilution.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
D008670:Metals; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium