Ic. Boulton et al., FLUORIDE ACCUMULATION AND TOXICITY IN LABORATORY POPULATIONS OF WILD SMALL MAMMALS AND WHITE MICE, Journal of applied toxicology, 15(6), 1995, pp. 423-431
A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the toxicological res
ponse and metabolism of inorganic fluoride by three species of wild ma
mmals and laboratory white mice (Mus musculus L.). The experimental po
pulations of the wild species-the short-tailed field vole (Microtus ag
restis L.), the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus L.) and the wood mo
use (Apodemus sylvaticus L.)-were laboratory reared from wild stock, a
nd all test animals were exposed to 0, 40 or 80 mu g F ml(-1) in their
drinking water for up to 84 days, The 40 and 80 mu g F ml(-1) treatme
nts induced premature mortalities in M. agrestis and C, glareolus only
, Differential intakes, absorption and retention of fluoride were evid
ent between M. musculus and M. agrestis, the two species subject to ca
ge studies of fluoride metabolism budgets, Interspecific variation in
accumulation of fluoride with time was also evident between all four s
pecies as regards the femur, molars and incisors, Severe dental lesion
s were apparent in species surviving the 80 mu g ml(-1) treatment for
84 days, Overall, however, there were few clear differences in inheren
t species sensitivity to fluoride, the interspecific variation in meta
bolism and accumulation rates being attributable mainly to variation i
n intake.