Mammals silver

Tooth enamel precipitated as silver phosphate and reacted via this method gave values similar to corrected laser data from aliquots of the same tooth enamel (Table 6.1). Thus, the data from the crocodile samples are considered directly comparable with the data from the mammal tooth enamel. 

No data were found on the effects of silver compounds on avian or mammalian wildlife. All controlled studies with silver were with domestic poultry, livestock, or small laboratory mammals. Signs of chronic silver ion intoxication in tested birds and mammals included cardiac enlargement, vascular hypertension, hepatic necrosis, anemia, lowered immunological activity, altered membrane permeability, kidney pathology, enzyme inhibition, growth retardation, and a shortened life span (Smith and Carson 1977 Freeman 1979 Fowler and Nordberg 1986 USPHS 1990). 

Table 7.7 (continued) Effects of Silver on Selected Mammals... 

No studies have been conducted with silver and avian or mammalian wildlife, and it is unreasonable to extrapolate the results of limited testing with domestic poultry and livestock to wildlife to establish criteria or administratively enforced standards. Research on silver and avian and terrestrial wildlife merits the highest priority in this subject area. No silver criteria are available for the protection of avian and mammalian health, and all criteria now proposed are predicated on human health (Table 7.8). As judged by the results of controlled studies with poultry and small laboratory mammals, safe concentrations of silver ion were less than 250 pg/L in drinking water of mammals, less than 100 mg/L in drinking water of poultry, less than 6 mg/kg in diets of mammals, less than 10 mg/kg in copper-deficient diets of poultry, less than 200 mg/kg in copper-adequate diets of poultry, and less than 1.8 mg/kg in chicken eggs. The proposed short-term (10-day) allowable limit of 1142 pg Ag/L in drinking water for human health protection (Table 7.8) should... 

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