Plasma ALP activity and blood PCV value changes in chick fetuses due to exposure of the egg to different xenobiotics

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 117; no. 2; pp. 323 - 327
• Main Authors: Kertész, V, Hlubik, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alkaline phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; Alkaline Phosphatase - drug effects; Alkaline Phosphatase - pharmacology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium - adverse effects; Chick Embryo; Chick fetuses; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Eggs; Environmental Exposure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metals; Hematocrit; Hematocrit - veterinary; Lead - adverse effects; PAH compounds; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - adverse effects; Xenobiotics - adverse effects; PAH compounds; Alkaline phosphatase; Chick fetuses; Heavy metals; Hematocrit; Cadmium; Animal model; Embryo; Ecotoxicology; Enzyme; Phosphoric monoester hydrolases; Esterases; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Heavy metal; Dose activity relation; Hen; Pollutant; Vertebrata; Enzymatic activity; Lead; Hydrolases; Hematocrite; Aves; Xenobiotic; Fluoranthene
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(01)00179-8

Chick fetuses were highly sensitive to two PAH compounds and cadmium and lead.
The effects of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds (benz(
k)fluoranthene and fluoranthene) and two heavy metals (cadmium and lead) were studied on the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity and hematocrit (PCV) values in chick fetuses. Eggs were exposed to one of the four compounds before incubation, by applying two exposure methods: injection (into the air cell) or immersion. Fluoranthene, cadmium and lead injection significantly decreased ALP activity compared to the control, while none of the compounds caused significant reduction in ALP activity in the immersion groups; however, a decreasing tendency was seen in these groups as well. Hematocrit values were increased after benz(
k)fluoranthene immersion, fluoranthene immersion and cadmium injection. However, the doses in this study are relatively low (compared to other ecotoxicological studies in birds), the alteration in ALP enzyme activity and PCV values was apparent in each treatment group and is indicative of the high sensitivity of chick fetuses.