Accumulation and Metabolism

The ash of many coals have long been known to contain beryllium in concentrations as much as 100 ppm. Since beryllium is mainly in the organic matter of the coal, it is indicative that it was a constituent of the precursor plants. 

Modern plants have also been found to contain beryllium. Hickory is the best beryllium accumulator found so far, containing as much as 1 ppm dry weight. Most studies have shown that leaves contain more beryllium than either twigs or fruits, although some desert species contain more beryllium in the twigs. Romney and Childress [22] have shown that beryllium inhibits the growth of several different crop plants at levels above 2 ppm in nutrient solution and 4% of the cation exchange capacity in soil. 

It has been shown that the amount of beryllium retained in the body of experimental animals that ingested Be (about 0.006%), was very small compared with control animals, indicating that very little is absorbed by the gastro-intestinal tract. This was attributable to the fact that soluble salts are precipitated by reaction with proteins in the alimentary tract while less soluble salts are not appreciably dissolved in serum or gartric juices [6]. 

Excretion of beryllium in animals is mainly by the feces - 94% as compared with 1.6% in urine. With intratracheal administration, excretion was always high in the first 24 h and then dropped to low levels which became undetectable after 75 days. Elimination by the feces was persistent for 40 days. The urinary excretion of beryllium in human beings exposed has some outstanding features  

1) There appears to be a quantitative relation to the degree of exposure in individuals not suffering from beryllium poisoning. 

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Holwerda, D.A. and H.J. Herwig. 1986. Accumulation and metabolic effects of di-n-butyltin dichloride in the freshwater clam, Anodonta anatina. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 36 756-762. 

Maguire, R.J., P.T.S. Wong, and J.S. Rhamey. 1984. Accumulation and metabolism of tri-n-butyltin cation by a green alga, Ankistrodesmus falcatus. Canad. Jour. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 41 537-540. 

Roubal, W. T., Collier, T. K., Malins, D. C. Accumulation and metabolism of carbon-14 labeled benzene, naphthalene and anthracene by young coho salmon (Onaorhynahus kisutah). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. (1977) 5 513-529-... 

A sex-related difference in chloroform metabolism was observed in mice (Taylor et al. 1974). Chloroform accumulated and metabolized in the renal cortex of males to a greater extent than in females, while liver chloroform concentrations were greater in females than in males the results may have been influenced by testosterone levels. This effect was not observed in any other species and may explain why male mice were more susceptible to the lethal and renal effects of chloroform than were females (Deringer et al. 

Exposure to oil pollution can cause sublethal effects on marine biota, such as reduced growth rate and reproductive failure. The type and severity of the effect depends on (1) the concentration of petroleum, (2) length of exposure, (3) persistence and bioavailability of specific hydrocarbons, and (4) the ability of organisms to accumulate and metabolize... 

Hughes, M.F., Kenyon, E.M., Edwards, B.C. et al. (2003) Accumulation and metabolism of arsenic in mice after repeated oral administration of arsenate. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 191(3), 202-10. 

Foth, H. Role of the lung in accumulation and metabolism of xenobiotic compounds-implications for chemically induced toxicity. Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 25 165-205, 1995. 

Stapleton, H.M., Letcher, R.J., Li, J., Baker, J.E., 2004. Dietary accumulation and metabolism of polybrominated diphenyl ethers by juvenile carps (Cyprinus carpio). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 23, 1939-1946. 

Takimoto, Y., Miyamoto, J. (1976) Studies on the accumulation and metabolism of sumithion in fish. J. Pest. Sci. 1, 261-271. Takimoto, Y., Ohshima, M., Miyamoto, J. (1987) Comparative metabolism of fenitrothion in aquatic organisms. I. Metabolism in the euryhaline fish, Oryzalias latipes and Mugil cephalus. Ecotox. Environ. Saf. 13, 104—117. 

Alongi, D. M., Wattayakorn, G, Pfitzner, J., Tirendi, F., Zagorskis, I., Brunskill, G. J., Davidson, A., and Clough, B. F. (2001) Organic carbon accumulation and metabolic pathways in sediments of mangrove forests in southern Thailand. Mar. Geol. 179, 85-103. 

Accumulation and metabolism of the spermine alkaloid aphelandrine in roots of Aphelandra tetragona. Phytochemistry 33, 1033-1036... 

M. Watanabe, K. Kohata and M. Kunugi (1988). Phosphate accumulation and metabolism by... 

M. J. Abedin, M. S. Cresser, A. A. Meharg, J. Feldmann, J. Cotter-Howells, Arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Environ. Set Technol., 36 (2002), 962D 968. 

Yoshikuni Y, Eertin TE, Keasling JD (2006) Designed divergent evolution of enzyme function. Nature 440 1078-1082 Yu X-Z, Gu J-D (2009) Uptake, accumulation and metabolic response of ferticyanide in weeping willows. J Environ Monit 11 145-152... 

TABLE 4. Arsenic accumulation and metabolism in three-step freshwater food chain ... 

Uptake, Absorption, Accumulation, and Metabolism in Animals and Humans... 

Antimetabolites - Two reports on the metabolism of methotrexate (MTX) to 7-hydroxy-methotrexate (7-OH MTX) have appeared. The major metabolite of MTX in rabbits was found to be 7-OH MTX. The clearance of 7-OH MTX from plasma was slower than that of MTX itself. In a study of the uptake and metabolism of MTX in a MTX-sensitive human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, MOLT4, it was shown that 7-OH MTX and MTX are converted to poly glutamates and that 7-OH MTX interferes with MTX accumulation and metabolism. Phase I clinical trials of 10-... 

The capacity of microorganisms, including algae, for accumulation and metabolism of heavy metals is well documented. The applications range from sewage and industrial waste treatment (5,7) to ore leaching (18), and to plutonium removal from holding ponds (12). 

Tailla ML, Cousins RJ. 1978. Zinc accumulation and metabolism in primary cultures of adult rat liver cells Regulation by glucocorticoids. Biochem Biophys Acta 543 293-304. 

Studies on tributyltin uptake and depuration from food or water by rats, crabs, oysters, and fish showed that in all species it was accumulated and metabolized, at least partly, within 48 h to dibutyltins, monobutyltins, and more polar metabolites however, oysters (Crassostrea virginica) metabolized... 

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