Date of Award

1-1-1982

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Biochemistry

Abstract

The first section of this dissertation deals with the development of a procedure for the determination of total arsenic in biological samples. Arsine generated from arsenic in dry combusted biological samples was measured by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace. Innovations of the method included the introduction of arsine into the interior of the graphite tube via one internal purge gas port only, the use of three traps to remove water from generated arsine, and the use of Erlenmeyer flasks in the generation of arsine. EDTA was added to the sample mixture to prevent interference from copper, iron and nickel cations. With the described procedure, the arsenic found in various NBS standards (bovine liver, pine needles, orchard leaves and oyster tissue) agreed with certified values. Sensitivity and absolute detection limits (IUPAC) of the method were 0.11 ng and 0.14 ng, respectively.The second section of this dissertation deals with arsenic deprivation studies in rats and chicks. Studies with rats indicated that arsenic deprivation depressed growth and fertility, and elevated perinatal mortality. Studies with chicks indicated that the extent, severity and direction of many arsenic deprivation signs were affected by the arginine and zinc status of the animal. Parameters affected by dietary variations in arsenic, arginine and zinc included growth, kidney arginase and ornithine-(delta)transaminase, plasma alkaline phosphatase, plasma cholesterol, plasma urea, plasma uric acid, hematocrit, leg score and possibly manganese metabolism. The findings suggested that arsenic has a role that influences arginine metabolism. The findings also indicated that arsenic, arginine, zinc and manganese interact to affect the conversion of arginine to urea and ornithine, and possibly the production of proline synthesized from ornithine. Finally, it is possibly that arsenic, through an interaction with manganese, influences cholesterol or other sterol metabolism.

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