Effects of chronic ingestion of No. 2 fuel oil on mallard ducklings

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398109530020· OSTI ID:6459380

Szaro, R C; Hensler, G; Heinz, G H

No. 2 fuel oil was fed to mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings in concentrations of 0.5 and 5.0% of the diet from hatching to 18 wk of age to assess the effects of chronic oil ingestion during early development. Five growth parameters (body weight, wing length, ninth primary length, tarsal length, and bill length) were depressed in birds receiving a diet containing 5% fuel oil. There was no oil-related mortality. The 5% fuel oil diet impaired avoidance behavior of 9-d-old mallard ducklings compared with controls or ducklings fed 0.5% oil. Liver hypertrophy and splenic atrophy were gross evidences of pathological effects in birds on the 5.0% oil diet. More subtle effects included biochemical lesions that resulted in the elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase and ornithine carbamoyltransferase activity.

• Research Organization: Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, MD
• OSTI ID: 6459380
• Journal Information: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 7:5; ISSN JTEHD
• 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.
AMINOTRANSFERASES
ANIMALS
AVOIDANCE
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
BODY
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DUCKS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
FOWL
FUEL OILS
FUELS
GLANDS
GROWTH
INGESTION
INTAKE
KIDNEYS
LIQUID FUELS
LIVER
MORTALITY
NITROGEN TRANSFERASES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
SPLEEN
TRANSFERASES
VERTEBRATES