DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY-METALS IN CALF ORGANS

The distribution of heavy metals and their localisation in cells and t issues of some calf organs were determined by a modified histochemical method employing light microscopy. The metals were administered, sing ly or in combination, orally or subcutaneously. Experiment I included 32 calves of both sexes, three months old, which were allocated to sev en groups; six received Cd (two groups), Zn, Cd and Zn, and Cd and Se (two groups) and one group was a control one. In experiment II, 21 bul ls, aged three months, were allocated to four groups; three were given Cd, Cd and Cu, and Cd and Zn, respectively, and one group was a contr ol one. In experiment I, samples of liver, kidney, pancreas, myocardiu m, small intestine, diaphragm, ovary, testes, oviduct, vesicular gland and skeletal muscle were collected for examination. In experiment II, sampling was reduced to liver, kidney, pancreas, testis, diaphragm an d small intestine. The method was based on the detection of heavy meta l sulphides developed by a modified procedure using a hydroquinone dev eloper. Heavy metals first changed into sulphides by the action of gas eous hydrogen monosulphide in a fixation medium and then, during devel oping, silver was reduced on sulphide molecules and thus made the accu mulated metals visual in the light microscope as dark granules. In exp eriment I, the highest amounts of granules were present in the samples of liver, small intestine and vesicular gland of all the exposed grou ps; in experiment II, the most affected organs were livers, kidneys an d small intestines. The other organs showed levels approaching detecta bility or no findings with the use of this method.