[Accumulation of cadmium in organs of mice by a long-term injection of cadmium and interactions of cadmium with copper, manganese and zinc already present in the animals (author's transl)].

It is well known that the greater part of the administered cadmium is accumulated in liver and kidneys. But, in considering the toxicity of cadmium, it is important to make clear the time pattern of cadmium accumulation not only in liver and kidneys but in the other organs. Male mice were injected subcutaneously 1 mg/kg of cadmium daily for 25 weeks except one day in every week. Five mice at a time were killed in the suitable time during this experiment, and Cd, Cu, Mn, and Zn concentrations in several organs were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cadmium content in liver and kidneys increased remarkably during the first 30 days, and it is scarcely increased after that period. Cadmium content in other organs, that is, heart, lungs, spleen, testes and femurs, increased slowly during the first 20 days, and this content increased hardly after that. The results show further that: Cd administered at the early stage accumulated mainly in liver an in kidneys. As Cd concentration in liver and kidneys arrives at saturation, Cd content in other orbans increased remarkably. And, after 30th day, Cd content in all the organs increased little in spite of the continuous injection of Cd. Concentrations of Cu, Mn, and Zn in the organs of mice injected with Cd were as follows: Cu concentration increased significantly in heart, liver, and kidneys, Zn concentration increased in heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, whereas Mn concentration decreased remarkably in kidneys. Cadmium content in the organs of mice injected with Zn (0.5 mg/kg) or Mn (0.5 mg/kg) together with Cd (1 mg/kg) showed a tendency to increase remarkably compared with single injection of Cd.