Dieldrin-14C Elimination from Chickens

A series of experiments was conducted with chickens contaminated with dieldrin-14C to find ways of accelerating the elimination of dieldrin from their bodies. The results of these experiments indicated that charcoal, imbiber beads, and the anion exchanges resins, Dowex XFS-4022 and Dowex SBR-C1, would not be useful agents for increasing the amount of dieldrin eliminated via feces (droppings) of chickens. Further, imbiber beads coalesced in the gizzard of the chickens and reduced their appetites. The anion exchange resin, cholestyramine, might be useful as gastrointestinal absorbant for increasing dieldrin elimination in chickens because it increased carbon-14 elimination in droppings, but its effect on carbon-14 residues in carcasses was not clear. We elected not to investigate this compound further. Probucol, investigated because it might alter gastrointestinal absorption or blood physiology that would affect dieldrin elimination, did not increase dieldrin elimination. Severe starvation was the only method investigated that clearly was useful for increasing dieldrin elimination because it increased carbon-14 elimination in droppings and reduced carbon-14 residues in carcasses.