Tissue accumulation of DDT and its metabolites in the domestic fowl

Abstract

Abstract No clinical toxic effects or loss of condition were seen in any growing hen at any time during a feeding period of 15 weeks on diets containing 10, 50 and 250 p.p.m. of DDT, and no bird developed signs of poisoning during a subsequent partial‐starvation period of 3 weeks. There were no differences between the test groups and controls (without DDT) in respect of food consumption or weight gain. At the end of the 15‐week feeding period, DDT, DDE and TDE (DDD) were found in the tissues in amounts roughly proportional to the dosage levels. The largest amounts were found in the fat, with lesser amounts in ovary, liver, muscle, brain and eggs. After three weeks on a reduced intake of control diet, DDT had disappeared from the liver and had slightly decreased in other tissues. There was a general trend towards decrease of TDE and increase of DDE in all tissues, but these changes were occurring very slowly.