Tissue Incorporation and Excretion of Dietary Nickel in Rats

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the biological effects of residual nickel (Ni) in hydrogenated oil.
Six groups of young rats were fed diets containing different levels (0, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 ppm as Ni) of Ni-chloride for 4 weeks, and effects on growth, accumulation of Ni in organs and tissues, excretion of Ni into the feces and urine, and metallothionein formation in the liver were investigated.
Diets containing Ni more than 500 ppm caused lower growth rate and higher Ni accumulation in the liver, lung, kidney and whole blood.
In all Ni-supplemented groups, however, Ni excreted into the feces was about 90 % total Ni excreted, and no Ni-containing metallothionein could be found in the liver.