Assessment of 47Ca Distribution and Biological Half-Life in Japanese Quail Chicks

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess 47 Calcium (47 Ca) distribution and biological half-life in different body organs of Japanese quail chicks. A total of 85, 4 week old chicks, were dosed with 1ml/chick volume of 1% (w/v) CaCl 2 solution containing 7.51x10-08 Ci 47 Ca which is equivalent to 1.27x10-13 g. 47 Ca activity, in terms of decay per minute (DPM), was measured in different body organs at 12 hours time intervals, after 24 hours from ingestion for five days. The total activity of 47 Ca for each organ and activity per gram of organ (D.min-1 .g-1) was calculated. Data were Statistically analyzed using completely randomized design (CRD), one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) as per the procedure given by SPSS (2002), 9.0 version for Windows. The results obtained indicated that following 47 Ca administration most of the total 47 Ca concentration was found in the bones with count rates of 110267±550 DPM. While in the fifth day following administration, most of the 47 Ca was found in the feathers with a total activity of 13322±760 DPM. The biological half-life time was found to be highest in the heart and kidneys, respectively compared to the other body organs. In conclusion, the current results suggest that the main excretory pathway for Ca is through the skin. Regarding organ dependency on Ca for the normal functioning, the results obtained in our study suggest that the heart is the most dependent organ on Ca.