Hexachlorobenzene I. Uptake, distribution and excretion of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in growing lambs. 1978

R L Mull, and W L Winterlin, and S A Peoples, and L Ocampo

The uptake, distribution, and excretion of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was studied in young male (castrated) lambs. Lambs were exposed for 90 days at a dietary concentration of 0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 ppm. Tissue concentration of HCB were monitored by periodic omental biopsy and by post-slaughter collection of tissues at 90 and at 300 days. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture each time that biopsies or sacrifice occurred. Findings of the 300 days duration study were: (1) the growth rate of the exposed lambs was unaffected by the exposure to the dietary HCB, (2) adipose tissue concentrations reached a level approximately ten times that in the diet at the end of the 90-day exposure period, (3) HCB concentration was higher in the omental fat than in the perirenal fat at 90 days but not at 300 days, (4) a good portion of the apparent decresae in HCB in the fat following cessation of exposure is due to dilution (by increasing carcass fat), (5) the apparent half-life of HCB was approximately 90 days and was not dose-dependent at the exposure rates studied, and (6) the highest HCB concentrations in other tissues were in the brain and liver. The study demonstrated that the omental biopsy provides an excellent means of estimating body fat burden of this lipid soluble pesticide, although it tends to provide an overestimate during actual dietary exposure. The finding that the bioconcentration of and the depletion from the adipose tissues were independent of dose enables prediction of the degree to which food animals might become contaminated if allowed to feed on HCB-contaminated pastures or feed stuffs, and of the time which will be required for such residues to decrease to negligible levels. This predictive ability is of obvious benefit to both the food animal producer and the consumer. Since the HCB is apparently much more stable in the body than is indicated by the depletion half-life of 90 days in these growing lambs, it follows that environmental contamination of grazing lands or animal feeds is of far greater consequence for adult animals which would not be likely to experience the growth dilution of carcass residues.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010573 Pesticide Residues Pesticides or their breakdown products remaining in the environment following their normal use or accidental contamination. Pesticide Residue,Residue, Pesticide,Residues, Pesticide
D002722 Chlorobenzenes Aromatic organic compounds with the chemical formula C6H5Cln.
D004032 Diet Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal. Diets
D006207 Half-Life The time it takes for a substance (drug, radioactive nuclide, or other) to lose half of its pharmacologic, physiologic, or radiologic activity. Halflife,Half Life,Half-Lifes,Halflifes
D006581 Hexachlorobenzene An agricultural fungicide and seed treatment agent. HCB
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012756 Sheep Any of the ruminant mammals with curved horns in the genus Ovis, family Bovidae. They possess lachrymal grooves and interdigital glands, which are absent in GOATS. Ovis,Sheep, Dall,Dall Sheep,Ovis dalli
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014018 Tissue Distribution Accumulation of a drug or chemical substance in various organs (including those not relevant to its pharmacologic or therapeutic action). This distribution depends on the blood flow or perfusion rate of the organ, the ability of the drug to penetrate organ membranes, tissue specificity, protein binding. The distribution is usually expressed as tissue to plasma ratios. Distribution, Tissue,Distributions, Tissue,Tissue Distributions

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