Accumulation of mercury in tissues of cattle, sheep, and chickens given the mercurial fungicide, Panogen 15, orally

Journal Article · · J. Agric. Food Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jf60187a007· OSTI ID:6444111

Wright, F C; Palmer, J S; Riner, J C

Yearling cattle and sheep and 6-week-old chickens were given daily oral doses of the mercurial fungicide Panogen 15 (methylmercury dicyandiamide). Cattle and sheep were given 15 mg of the total formulation per kg of body weight daily to 70 days, and chickens were dosed at both 5 and 10 mg/kg daily to 84 days. Two yearling cattle and three yearling sheep were mildly poisoned in the latter stages of the study. Residues of mercury determined by atomic adsorption spectrophotometry, were generally higher in cattle than in sheep except in the liver. The order of increasing residues in both cattle and sheep was brain, muscle, liver, and kidney. With chickens, however, residues in liver were higher than in kidney in both treatment groups. The residues of mercury in the various tissues of the dosed animals could constitute a hazard to future human consumers. Tissues from control cattle, sheep, and chickens contained no detectable amounts of mercury.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Agriculture, Kerrville, TX
• OSTI ID: 6444111
• Journal Information: J. Agric. Food Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Agric. Food Chem.; (United States) Vol. 21:3; ISSN JAFCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
BIRDS
BUILDUP
CATTLE
CHICKENS
COWS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOWL
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
METHYLMERCURY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
RUMINANTS
SHEEP
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
VERTEBRATES