TURNOVER OF CADMIUM 109 IN RATS

Distribution of subcutaneously injected cadmium 109 (109Cd) was studied in mature rats over a period of 14 days. Tthe isotope was primarily deposited in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Within four hours after injection, cadmium appeared in the wall and in the contents of the small intestine. In the colon and in its contents, the concentration of the isotope increased gradually over a period of 24 hours. Cadmium content in the intestinal tract decreased progressively between 30 and 336 hours after injection. The stomach wall concentrated and retained 109Cd, and only traces of the isotope appeared in the contents of the stomach. From the blood plasma, cadmium disappeared rapidly, whereas the blood cells showed an increase in cadmium concentration between 24 and 336 hours after injection. © 1969 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.