Retention of Cadmium in Mice Studied by Whole Body Autoradiography

Abstract

The time-course of cadmium distribution in mice was investigated for up to 180 days after administration of ¹⁰⁹Cd by whole body autoradiography and by radioactivity counting. Accumulated ¹⁰⁹Cd was excreted hardly from the body and remained mainly in liver, kidneys and pancreas for a long time. The pattern of retention of ¹⁰⁹Cd was varied with organs : in liver, gastrointestinal wall and salivary glands, the concentration of ¹⁰⁹Cd was decreased with time; in pancreas, spleen and lungs, it was hardly decreased; in kidneys, it was increased. Liver retained larger amount of ¹⁰⁹Cd than any other organ even after long period. In kidneys, most of ¹⁰⁹Cd was retained in their cortex.