Abstract
Uptake, distribution, and elimination of lead in various organs of rats have been studied using a radiotracer technique. The elimination data for various organs, except whole blood, is fitted to a double-exponential function using a computer program. The biological half-lives along with the percent elimination of lead by two different decay modes in testis, epididymis, prostate, and seminal vesicles are being reported together with that in liver, kidney, blood, and whole body. It is evident from this study that the elimination of lead is limited for all the organs and permits lead accumulation in the bone, where it is stored and becomes almost unavailable for elimination. Lead levels in blood, testis, and femur of lead acetate-fed rats measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy have been correlated to the uptake of210Pb in various organs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E. L. Karim, A. S. Hamed, Y. A. Elhami, and Y. Osman, Effect of exposure to lead among lead acid battery factory workers in Sudan.Arch. Environ. Health. 41, 261–265 (1986).
B. Venugopal and T. D. Luckey, Chemical toxicity of metals and metalloids, inMetal Toxicity in Mammals, vol. II, Plenum, New York, pp. 185–195 (1978).
J. U. Bell and J. A. Thomas, Effect of lead on mammalian reproduction, inLead Toxicity, R. L. Singhal and J. A. Thomas, eds. Urban and Schwarzenberg, Baltimore, MD, pp. 169–185 (1980).
I. Lancranjan, H. I. Popescu, O. Gavanescu, I. Klepach, and M. Serbanescu, Reproductive ability of workman occupationally exposed to lead.Arch. Environ. Health. 30, 396–401 (1975).
M. R. Cullen, J. M. Robins, and B. Eskenazi, Adult inorganic lead intoxication: presentation of 31 new cases and review of recent advances in the literature.Medicine 62, 221–247 (1983).
D. A. Cory-Slechta, Lead exposure during advanced age: Alterations in kinetics and Biochemical effects.Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 104, 67–78 (1990).
H. L. Needelman, inLead Toxicity, R. L. Singhal and J. A. Thomas, eds., Urban and Schwarzenberg, Baltimore, MD, pp. 1–17 (1980).
M. Rabinowitz, G. W. Wetherill, and J. D. Kopple, Studies of human lead metabolism by use of stable isotope tracers.Environ. Health Perspect. 7, 145–153 (1974).
M. E. Conrad and J. C. Barton, Factors affecting the absorption and excitation of lead in the rat.Gastroenterology 74, 731–740 (1978).
M. W. B. Bradbury and R. Deane, Rate of uptake of lead-203 into brain and other soft tissues in rat at constant radiotracer levels in plasma.Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 481, 142–160 (1986).
T. Mukoyama, A non-iterative method for fitting two-component, decay curves,Nuclear Instruments Meth. 179, 357–359 (1981).
O. Einarsson and G. A. Lindstedt, Non extraction atomic absorption method for the determination of lead in blood.Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 23, 367–371 (1969).
N. Gulati, Study on trace elements in skin tumorigenesis with special reference to selenium (selenite) using neutron activation and radiotracer technique. PhD Thesis, Panjab University, India. pp. 106 (1985).
A. Oskarsson, K. S. Squibb, and B. A. Fowler, Intracellular binding of lead in the kidney. The partial isolation and characterization of most mitochondrial lead binding.Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 104, 290–298 (1982).
P. Mistry, G. W. Lucier, and B. A. Fowler. High-affinity lead binding proteins in rat kidney cytosol mediated cells free nuclear translocation of lead.J. Pharmacol. Exptl. Therap. 232, 462–469 (1985).
H. J. Church, J. P. Day, R. A. Braithwaite, and S. S. Brown, Binding of lead to a metallothionein-like protein in human erythrocytes.J. Inorg. Biochem. 49, 55–68 (1993).
G. Majno, Ultrastructure of the vascular membrane, inHandbook of Physiology (Circulation). American Physiology Society, Washington, DC, pp. 2293–2375 (1965).
G. O. Korsrud and J. B. Meldrum, Effect of blood, liver and kidney variables of age and of dosing rats with lead acetate orally or via the drinking water.Biol. Trace Element Res. 17, 151–166 (1988).
N. Castellino and S. Aloj, Intracellular distribution of lead in the liver and kidney of the rat.Br. J. Industr. Med. 26, 139–143 (1969).
M. E. Gulvik, Spermatogenesis and maturation of spermatozoa in rats exposed to lead.Ann. Acad. Med. Stetin. 35, 73–87 (1989).
R. A. Goyer, Lead toxicity: A problems in environmental pathology.Am. J. Pathol. 64, 167–179 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaushal, D., Garg, M.L., Bansal, M.R. et al. Biokinetics of lead in various organs of rats using radiotracer technique. Biol Trace Elem Res 53, 249–260 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02784561
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02784561