Toxic Effects of Cadmium Microparticles on the Respiratory System an Experimental Study on Rats and Mice

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 3; no. 3; pp. 116 - 121
• Main Authors: BOULEY, GEORGES, DUBREUIL, ALAIN, DESPAUX, NICOLE, BOUDENE, CLAUDE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Finland Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01.09.1977; National Board of Occupational Safety and Health; Occupational Health Foundation; Workers' Protection Fund; Swedish Medical Society, Section for Environmental Health; Work Research Institutes
• Subjects: Aluminum Oxide - administration & dosage; Alveolar macrophages; Animals; Bacterial Infections - etiology; Body weight; Cadmium; Cadmium - toxicity; Cell Count; Dosage; Environmental Exposure; Infections; Intoxication; Lung - drug effects; Lungs; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Organ Size - drug effects; Particle Size; Pulmonary alveoli; Rats; Respiratory System - drug effects; Respiratory Tract Infections - etiology; respiratory system; cadmium; microparticles; air pollution; airborne infection
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.2782

Experiments on male, specific pathogen-free rats (193) and mice (66) are reported. The test and control animals received a single 15-min exposure to cadmium (cadmium oxide) and aluminum (alumina) microparticles, respectively. The air cadmium content was 10 mg/m³, and 4 μg of this metal was retained by the lungs of the rats. The animals were observed for 24 days. The following significant differences appeared between the control and test groups: in the cadmium exposed rats the relative lung weight (percentage of body weight) became temporarily higher; the absolute number of alveolar macrophages decreased at first and then increased; numerous polymorphonuclear and lymphocytic cells appeared in the alveoli. According to these inflammatory phenomena, at the 48th h after exposure, there was an alteration in the clearance kinetics of inhaled bacteria and an increase in the death rate of cadmium exposed animals following a test infection with Salmonella enteritidis (rats) or Pasteurella multocida (mice) aerosols. The mechanism of cadmium toxic action on the respiratory system is discussed.