PW01 Wildlife Toxicology
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Wednesday, 12 November 2003
(PW017) Influence of oral 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) exposure in the common pigeon (Columba livia).
Johnson, M1, Michie, M1, Bazar, M1, Salice, C1, 1 U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
ABSTRACT- Considerable concentrations of the explosive, TNT (2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene) have been found in the soil at many installations where explosives have been used, manufactured, or assembled. To date only one study has evaluated the effects of oral TNT exposure to birds with equivocal results. The present study followed a controlled dosing regime comprising 4 dose groups and a control (200, 120, 70, 20, and 0 mg TNT/kg bw-d) in the Common Pigeon (Columba livia) of the White Carneaux strain for 60 days. Each treatment consisted of 12 birds/sex (N=120). Overt signs of toxicity occurred with both sexes between two and three weeks of exposure. Signs included weight loss, neuromuscular effects (e.g., ataxia, tremors, etc.), and scant red feces. Emesis events following dosing were common and proportional to dose, however, attempts to quantify vomitus compound concentration suggests that birds were marginally successful at removing TNT following administration. Eight of 12 and 2/12 males and females died or were moribund in the 200 and 120 mg/kg-d groups, respectively. A single female was moribund and euthanized in the 70 mg/kg-d group. Changes in WBC and RBC counts, liver, kidney, and ovary weights followed dose-related trends. Dose related changes in serum albumin and sodium concentrations were also found. These results suggest that subchronic exposure to TNT can adversely affect the CNS and hematological parameters, and may be due to the bioaccumulation of a toxic intermediate.
Key words: pigeon, TNT, Columba, bird