Effects of mercury and selenium on serum transaminase levels of quail, hens and rats

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1973 · Nutr. Rep. Int.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5010715

Welsh, S O; Soares, Jr, J H; Stilling, B R; Lagally, H

Three studies were conducted in an effort to quantitatively evaluate some of the early effects and nutrient interactions of methyl mercury (CH/sub 3/-Hg) in Cotournix quail, Leghorn hens, and Sprague-Dawley rats. Mercury was added to the diets at levels ranging from 0.5 to 32 ppm. In addition, selenium (Se), cystine, and fish protein concentrate were added in various combinations to some of the diets to test their effectiveness in alleviating Hg toxicity. Sera were analyzed for serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT). Results show that SGPT provided little information about the onset of CH/sub 3/-Hg toxicity. SGOT activity proved to be a more responsive test and generally paralleled other indications of CH/sub 3/-Hg toxicity such as weight loss, nervous tremor, and abnormal egg production. In all instances, the highest dietary levels of CH/sub 3/-Hg resulted in significantly higher SGOT levels when there was no supplemental Se or cystine in the diet. However, two serious problems encountered with the measurement of SGOT as a test for CH/sub 3/-Hg toxicity were: (1) variability within treatments and (2) the inability to detect elevations in enzyme levels before the animals were exhibiting nervous system degeneration.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Maryland, College Park
• OSTI ID: 5010715
• Journal Information: Nutr. Rep. Int.; (United States), Vol. 8:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
SELENIUM
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
BLOOD SERUM
CHICKENS
EGGS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOWL
KIDNEYS
LIVER
MALFORMATIONS
MARYLAND
METHYLMERCURY
RATS
ANIMALS
BIRDS
BODY
DATA
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION III
GLANDS
INFORMATION
MAMMALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RODENTS
SEMIMETALS
USA
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)