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IMPAIRMENT OF GROWTH AND IMMUNE FUNCTION OF AVOCET CHICKS FROM SITES WITH ELEVATED SELENIUM, ARSENIC, AND BORON
Citation:
Fairbrother, A., M. Fix, T. O'Hara, AND C. Ribic. IMPAIRMENT OF GROWTH AND IMMUNE FUNCTION OF AVOCET CHICKS FROM SITES WITH ELEVATED SELENIUM, ARSENIC, AND BORON. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-94/345 (NTIS PB94210507), 1994.
Description:
Avocet chicks hatched from eggs collected from the south Central Valley of California were studied to determine the impact of elevated concentrations of selenium, boron, and arsenic on the immune system and growth to maturity. elenium, arsenic, and boron residues were measured in water, eggs, and tissues of birds that died or were killed at the end of the experiment. estfarmers pond had elevated concentrations of selenium, boron, and arsenic. ryse ponds also had elevated selenium, arsenic, and boron concentrations as compared to the reference site. hicks were weighed and measurements of culmen, wing, and tarsus were taken every 3 days until birds were 6 weeks old and every week thereafter until 16 weeks old. ize at hatch was significantly reduced in birds from Westfarmers and Pryse ponds. rowth rate was faster but mean adult size wall reduced in birds from Pryse ponds. he following assays were conducted on chicks > 6 weeks old: omplete and differential white blood cell count; hematocrit; hemoglobin concentration; plasma protein concentration; and rabbit red blood cell hemagglutination titer. acrophage phagocytosis index was determined for birds aged 3, 4, 10, and 12 weeks old. ymphocyte blastogenesis assays were performed for birds aged 9 and 12 weeks. oung avocets exposed solely through in ovo transfer of these elements from adults to their progeny had significantly increased total white blood cell counts related to an increased heterophil:lymphocyte ratio. he ability of lymphocyte to blast in the presence of a t-cell mitogen was increased, while the phagocytic activity of macrophages was significantly reduced. he birds that were most severely impacted by exposure to these compounds were those that hatched from eggs collected from Pryse ponds.