Subchronic Administration of Technical Pentachlorophenol to Lactating Dairy Cattle: Performance, General Health, and Pathologic Changes

Abstract

Technical grade pentachlorophenol (penta) was fed subchronically to lactating dairy cattle to establish whether exposure approximating farm environments containing substantial penta-treated wood represents a hazard to animal health. Four Holstein cattle in early lactation were fed .2 mg penta/kg body weight per day for 75 to 84 days followed by 2 mg penta/kg body weight per day for 56 to 60 days. Each treated cow was paired with a control cow of equivalent stage of lactation. Milk production, feed intake, and body weight were not affected by either dose except that treated cattle were more efficient converters of feed to milk during the early stage of the 2 mg/kg period. Neither milk fat production nor somatic cell count in milk were affected by exposure to penta. Postmortem examination revealed enlargement of liver, lungs, kidneys, and adrenals and thickening of the urinary bladder wall. Chronic interstitial nephritis and subacute urocystitis were the major pathologic changes in penta-treated cattle. In vitro testing of kidney slices confirmed significant loss of renal function. The relationship of lesions to administration penta is not clear.

Transcriptional Activation of Stress Genes and Cytotoxicity in Human Liver Carcinoma (HepG2) Cells Exposed to Pentachlorophenol

“…PCP was first manufactured in 1841, however, it was produced commercially in 1936 [3,4]. It is the third most heavily used pesticide, preceded by the herbicides atrazine and alachlor [5]. The primary use of PCP is to protect timber from fungal rot and wood-boring insects, thus extending the life of wood products such as utility poles, cross arms, fence posts, and similar structures.…”

Assessment of Pentachlorophenol Toxicity in Newborn Calves: Clinicopathology and Tissue Residues

“…On farms, livestock may be exposed to preservative chemicals by casual contact with treated building components such as fences, feed bunks, or freestalls, or by consumption of contaminated feed that was stored in treated structures such as bunk silos. Commercial technical grade PCP is a mixture of chemicals including 85 to 90% PCP, 10 to 15% tri-and tetrachlorophenols, and a small percentage (<1%) of non-phenol impurities, namely chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDD), chlorinated dibenzofurans (CDF) and chlorinated diphenyl ethers (Firestone et al, 1972(Firestone et al, , 1979Johnson et al, 1973;Plimmer et al, 1973;Kinzell et al, 1981). Studies in laboratory animals suggest that the nonchlorophenol impurities are more chronically toxic than the 1587 JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, Vol.…”

“…61, No. 6, 1985 aAnalysis as reported by Kinzell et al (1981). bAnalysis by the Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI; personal communication, Dr. Robert L. Johnson.…”

“…Among the alleged toxic effects reported by Thomas et al (1977) was high mortality in newborn calves. Although a number of studies have examined the toxicology of PCP preparations in cattle (Osweiler et al, 1977;Firestone et al, 1979;McConnell et al, 1980;Forsell et al, 1981;Kinzell et al, 1981;Osweiler et al, 1984), none has dealt with the newborn calf.…”

Removal of Pentachlorophenol from Wastewater Using Peat

“…PCP is also the third most widely used pesticide in the US preceded only by atrazine and alachlor (8). PCP is used as a fungicide and/or bactéricide in the processing of leather, oils, paints, rubber, adhesives, paper and paper boards, cable coverings, textiles, ropes, ink formulations and petroleum drilling muds (9). PCP can leach from treated wood and high concentrations have been reported within short distances from the telegraphic pole.…”