skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Embryotoxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the ring-necked pheasant

Journal Article · · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)
;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Wildlife Ecology
  2. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources
  3. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Research Animal Veterinarian and Research Animal Resource Committee
  4. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). School of Pharmacy and Environmental Toxicology Center

Fertilized eggs of ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) were injected into the albumin or yolk with vehicle or graded doses of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), on day 0 of embryonic development and toxicity was assessed in 1-d-old hatchlings and 28-d-old chicks. The most sensitive effect of in ovo TCDD exposure was induction of hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in 1-d-old hatchlings. The ED50 for this response was 312 pg TCDD/g egg. Embryo mortality was the most sensitive sign of toxicity. The TCDD dose that caused 50% mortality above control (LD50) when injected into the egg albumin or yolk was 1,354 and 2,182 pg TCDD/g egg, respectively. At egg TCDD doses up to and including 1,000 pg TCDD/g egg, no effect was detected in 1-d-old hatchlings and 28-d-old chicks in body growth, organ weights, carcass morphometrices, incidence of edema, or incidence of histological alterations in the liver, spleen, heart, Bursa of Fabricius, or thymus. Egg TCDD doses as high as 1,000 pg TCDD/g egg also had no effect on cardiac morphometrices or incidence of cardiac malformations in 1-d-old hatchlings, or on antibody-mediated immunity in 28-d-old chicks. The authors conclude that embryo mortality is the most sensitive sign of TCDD toxicity in the ring-necked pheasant following in ovo exposure.

OSTI ID:
5811374
Journal Information:
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:7; ISSN 0730-7268
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English