Bioavailability of biologically detoxified lead: risks arising from consumption of polluted mussels.

Abstract

The possible risk for human health arising from consumption of lead-polluted shellfish was suggested by experiments on the bioavailability for mice of a "biologically detoxified" form of the metal. In this work, young mice were fed with a mixed diet including mussels collected in a Pb-polluted area. Metal concentrations in blood, kidney, liver, urine, and feces and the activity of erythrocytic &aminolevulinic acid dehydratase were determined after 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Comparisons were made with mice treated with balanced diet, mixed diet including control mussels, and drinking water with lead dissolved as acetate. In mice fed polluted mussels, lead concentrations increased in blood, kidney, and liver, whereas no significant accumulation was observed in urine. Different responses in mice treated with Pb(CH3COO)2 in drinking water are probably due to the diversity of lead chemical form in the two treatments. Our results demonstrate the bioavailability of biologically detoxified lead that can be transferred to a consumer with possible consequences also for human health. Environ Health Perspect 1 02(Suppl 3): 335-338 (1994).

A Study of Toxic Effects of Heavy Metal Contaminants from Sludge-Supplemented Diets on Male Wistar Rats

“…The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of including the sludge as a dietary supplement in poultry, cattle, and fish food. The presence of heavy metals in the sludge is a cause for concern, because long-term exposure to these heavy metals and the biomagnification through animal products may result in a severe health hazard to human beings, All these heavy metal contaminants found in the sludge are known to be toxic to organisms including human beings at various levels, and there are many reports that these contaminants are carcinogenic to animals as well as humans exposed occupationally (Burton et al, 1972;Eaton 1974;Baker et al, 1980;Lilis, 1981;Tandon, 1982;Elinder and Nordberg, 1985;Languard and Norseth, 1986;Dunnick and Fowler, 1986;Kjelstrom, 1986;Craswell, 1987;Buthio, 1992;Regoli and Orlando, 1994;Haugen et al, 1994;Walkes and Rehm, 1994;Fletcher et al, 1994;Hughes et al, 1994a, b;Newbook et al, 1994). Therefore, an investigation was undertaken to determine the effect of heavy metalcontaminated sludge-supplemented diets on male Wistar rats, as a complex exposure matrix of natural occurrence, to determine certain biochemical parameters, the results of which are discussed here.…”

In vivo oral bioavailability of Pb sequestered in metal rich granules in bivalves

“…No other studies have been found evaluating the bioavailability of Pb from bivalves in vivo, except one study where it was shown that Pb from polluted mussels was accumulated in mice, but the degree of bioavailability was not quantified (Regoli and Orlando, 1994). In vitro studies have shown that differences in bioaccessibility (i.e.…”

A Murine Model of Genetic Susceptibility to Lead Bioaccumulation

“…These findings were not convincingly explained by differences in the urinary concentration of lead in these strains. This may not be surprising since excretion of lead is affected by many factors and thus is not considered a good measure of lead exposure in mice (Regoli and Orlando, 1994) or humans (World Health Organization, 1977). These results suggest that although higher blood ALAD levels may be protective against the production of blood ZPP in animals with a duplication of the gene, this duplication may increase the accumulation of lead in the tissues of internal organs.…”