Metabolism of arsenite and arsenate by the rat

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5853018

Lerman, S A

The metabolism of arsenite and arsenate by mice and rats was investigated. In initial studies, mice eliminated almost 100% of a single intraperitoneal dose (0.5 mg/kg) of sodium arsenite or arsenate. About 90% of the arsenic eliminated in urine by 24 hours was dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Rats, however, eliminated only about 50% of the same dose of sodium arsenate and only 10% of the arsenic in the urine was DMA. Further studies were focused on the metabolism of arsenic by the rat. After four hours of exposure to arsenite, liver slices had taken up six times more arsenic and kidney slices two times more arsenic than after exposure to arsenate. Isolated hepatocytes took up as much as 20 times more arsenic after arsenite exposure. DMA was found in the medium of the liver slices and hepatocytes exposed to arsenite, but very little DMA was found in the medium 85%. These studies suggest that inorganic arsenic is rapidly taken up by liver and kidney, depending on the valence of the arsenic. The liver is more important in the metabolism of arsenite, but the kidney takes up and methylates both arsenite and arsenate. The DMA produced by these organs binds to the red blood cells. This binding appears to be the main difference between the rat and other mammalian species.

• OSTI ID: 5853018
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
ARSENATES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CLEARANCE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ERYTHROCYTES
EXCRETION
GLANDS
KIDNEYS
LIVER
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
MICE
ORGANIC ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RATS
RODENTS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
VERTEBRATES