Abstract
Summary and Conclusions
Substantial increases in tissue copper concentrations and radiocopper accumulation resulted when a: level of 1000 p.p.m. of molybdenum as sodium molybdate was fed to rats and swine on a natural ration. This increase was especially pronounced in the kidneys and livers and is in accord with the hypothesis that excess copper, which is not physiologically effective, may be accumulated when a high level of molybdenum is fed. A dietary level of 1000 p.p.m. of zinc did not appear to have any appreciable effect upon copper metabolism. Growth depression in rats produced by 1000 p.p.m. of added molybdenum to a natural or synthetic ration was not counteracted by the addition of 200 p.p.m. dietary copper. Swine appeared to be more resistant to molybdenum toxicity than did rats. No degenerative changes were observed in the spinal cord, leg joints or muscle tissues of swine fed levels of 1000 p.p.m. of molybdenum or 1000 p.p.m. zinc for a 7-month experimental period. With the criteria of these experiments it appears that dietary zinc was not involved in copper-molybdenum imbalance.
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