Organ and subcellular distribution of cadmium in rats exposed to cadmium, mercury, and selenium.

Four groups of rats were given: cadmium chloride (Cd), cadmium chloride and mercuric chloride (Cd + Hg), cadmium chloride and sodium selenite (Cd + Se), or cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and sodium selenite (Cd + Hg + Se). All animals received subcutaneous doses of 115mCdCl2 (0.3 mg Cd/kg) every other day for 2 weeks. Mercuric chloride was administered intravenously at doses of 0.5 mg Hg/kg every other day, and Na2 75SeO3 intragastrically at doses of 0.1 mg Se/kg every day for a fortnight. The whole-body and organ retention of cadmium changed slightly with the type of exposure. A significant interaction effect of the examined elements was noted in the nuclear and soluble fractions of the liver and kidneys. Mercury decreased the cadmium concentration in both the nuclear and soluble fractions of the kidneys and diminished the effect of selenium on the cadmium level in the soluble fraction of the kidneys. In the liver the presence of mercury contrary to selenium, lowered the cadmium level in the nuclear fraction. The pattern of cadmium binding to proteins of the soluble fraction of the kidneys and liver remained the same in all groups of animals.