Modification of a selenium toxicity in chicks by dietary silver and copper

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · J. Nutr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6405191

Jensen, L S

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of high levels of dietary silver nitrate and copper sulfate on the response of chicks to toxic levels of dietary selenium. Adding 5 ppm or more selenium to a basal stock diet significantly reduced growth rate, and 40 ppm or higher significantly increased mortality during the 2-week experiments. Dietary silver or copper (1,000 ppm) counteracted the growth depression and prevented mortality at the higher levels of selenium. Hepatic selenium reached a maximum in chicks fed the basal diet with 10 ppm dietary selenium. Hepatic selenium of chicks fed silver was less than that of the control chicks when diets containing 10 ppm or less selenium were fed. Adding copper to the diet resulted in considerable accumulation of selenium in the liver, which was evident even at the lower levels of added selenium. Results of an experiment to determine the effects of dietary silver and copper on the distribution of /sup 75/Se administered either orally or intramuscularly showed that silver interfered with absorption of selenium. The results of these experiments suggest that silver modified selenium toxicity both by interfering with selenium absorption and by causing the accumulation of a nondeleterious selenium compound in the tissues. Copper modifies selenium toxicity primarily by causing the accumulation of a nondeleterious compound in the tissues.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Georgia, Athens
• OSTI ID: 6405191
• Journal Information: J. Nutr.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Nutr.; (United States) Vol. 105:6; ISSN JONUA
• 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.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
CHICKENS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COPPER
ELEMENTS
FOWL
INHIBITION
METALS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SILVER
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES