A multi-generation toxicity evaluation of p,p'-DDT and dieldrin with Japanese quail. I. Effects on growth and reproduction.

A toxicity Evaluation of DDT and dieldrin was conducted using Japanese Quail. The effects of feeding DDT (5 and 50 ppm of diet) and dieldrin (0.1 and 1.0 ppm of diet) in this four generation study (parental, F1, F2 and F3) were examined in terms of growth, viability, and/or reproduction of offspring. Ten groups (including controls and replicates of groups) contained 21 birds/group for the parental generation, and 21-35 chicks for each respective generation study. At 50 ppm DDT, a marginal decrease in egg hatch-ability of F2 generation was evidenced; the decrease appeared related to a slight decrease in fertility rather than egg production or hatchability of fertile eggs. Data accumulated from all other experimental groups were within the expected range and were comparable to control data.