Studies on the Secondary Indicator for Drinking Water Guidelines - Lead Poisoning and Renal Function

Abstract

The following results were obtained in this experiment: 1) Non effective doses of lead (p.o.) on urinary sodium excretion and serum sodium level were deduced to be about 0.5 and 0.7 mg Pb/kg/day, respectively by either only single dose or more consecutive doses of lead acetate to young male rats. 2) Moreover, non effective doses of lead (p.o.) on renal Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity and plasma ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) were 0.5 mg Pb/kg/day at 1, 2 and 4 weeks of consecutive lead administrations. 3) Urinary excretions of sodium, potassium and calcium in healthy rats (Whistar albino) were demonstrated to be on the decline with aging, whereas urinary magnesium excretion was not changed or was slightly increasing, 4) Urinary sodium excretions in young and old rats were greatly augmented by lead doses. 5) Urinary calcium excretion in old rats was more incremented than in young rats. 6) Urinary excretion of the above electrolytes in female rats showed some different patterns from male rats by lead administrations.