Variations with age in the adrenocortical responses of Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) consuming petroleum-contaminated food

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01606142· OSTI ID:5743845

Gorsline, J; Holmes, W N

Mallard ducks were fed ad libitum a diet containing 3 ml South Louisiana crude oil per 100 gm dry food. Plasma samples were analyzed for corticosterone by radioimmunoassay and hepatic mixed function oxidase activity was determined in microsomal fractions from liver homogenates. Results show that birds in each age group, whether consuming either uncontaminated or contaminated food, showed no significant changes in body weight during the ten-day experimental period. Also, no significant differences were detected between the rates of food consumption by birds in the various age groups. The similar levels of total hepatic mixed function oxidase activity induced by the similar volumes of crude oil consumed by the individuals in each age class strongly suggests that the declines inplasma corticosterone concentration occurred in response to similar levels of systemic contamination. Since the decreases were larger in the younger birds than in the older birds, age seems to have been an important factor determining the degree of hypoadrenocorticalism developed following their exposure to contaminated food. (JMT)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Santa Barbara
• OSTI ID: 5743845
• Journal Information: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States) Vol. 29:2; ISSN BECTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201 -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL HORMONES
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
BODY
CORTICOSTEROIDS
CORTICOSTERONE
DIET
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DUCKS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
FEEDING
FOSSIL FUELS
FOWL
FUELS
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GROWTH
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INGESTION
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KETONES
LIVER
MIXED-FUNCTION OXIDASES
OIL SPILLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OXYGENASES
PETROLEUM
PREGNANES
RADIOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES
WEIGHT