The Effect of Exposure to Cd and Pb in the Form of a Drinking Water or Feed on the Accumulation and Distribution of These Metals in the Organs of Growing Wistar Rats

The degree of accumulation and distribution of Cd and Pb in the organs of young animals compared to the amount taken in with water or feed have not been thoroughly investigated yet. The experiment aimed to verify whether the source of toxic metals (feed, drinking water) administered to growing rats orally has an influence on the degree of accumulation of Cd and Pb in the organs (brain, spleen, lungs, heart, liver and kidneys). The rats received Cd and/or Pb respectively in the amount of 7 mg and/or 50 mg per 1 kg of feed or per 1 L of distilled water. The rats’ organs accumulated in total about 0.5 % Cd and about 0.71 % Pb consumed with water and about 0.46 % Cd and about 0.63 % Pb taken in with feed. More than 60 % of Cd and more than 70 % of Pb absorbed by the studied organs was accumulated in the liver, and more than 30 % of Cd and 26–29 % of Pb in the kidneys and less than 1 % in other organs. The relationship between the distribution percentage of Cd in the studied organs can be presented as: liver > kidneys > brain > lungs > heart > spleen. The relationship between the distribution percentage of Pb can be presented as: liver > kidneys > brain > spleen > heart > lungs. Significantly (P < 0.05), more Cd and Pb were accumulated in total in the organs of rats receiving the metals in drinking water.