Abstract
Rats fed stock diets, like Purina Chow, are known to be relatively insensitive to the toxic effects of lead. The addition of lead acetate (1000 ppm of Pb) to the drinking water of 5-week-old rats for 35 days produced toxicity (decreased growth rate and lead-induced anemia) in rats fed semipurified diet, but not in rats fed Purina Rat Chow (Chow). Blood and tissue lead levels also were higher in rats fed semipurified diet than in rats fed Chow. In order to determine whether rats fed semipurified diet could be used as animal models in the determination of permissible levels of lead in the environment, the susceptibility to lead toxicity of these rats to lead-based paints was tested. The addition of 1% paint chips containing 10% lead octoate to the diets resulted in lead toxicity (reduction in growth rates and hematocrit values) only in rats fed the semipurified diet. Rats fed a semipurified diet that permits normal growth are more susceptible to the toxic effects of lead and can be used more effectively in lead toxicity studies than rats fed Chow.
Published Version
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