Effect of phosphate on the intestinal absorption of lead (203Pb) in chicks

The effect of phosphate on the intestinal absorption of lead (203Pb2+) was examined in chicks. Absorption was determined by the in situ ligated duodenal loop technique. In one approach, diets differing in phosphate content were fed to 2-week-old chicks for a period of 7 days. With respect to the control group (1.06% P), a severe phosphate deficiency (0.16% P) decreased growth, CaBP synthesis and 203Pb absorption; a moderate phosphate deficiency (0.33% P) resulted in an increase in CaBP production and 203Pb absorption; and the high phosphate diet (2.12%) gave mean values for CaBP synthesis and 203Pb absorption intermediate between those from the chicks fed the 0.33 and 1.06% diets. 203Pb absorption was highly correlated with CaBP concentrations. In another approach, phosphate in varying concentrations was added directly to the dosing solution. In one study, phosphate addition (0.1 mM) depressed 203Pb absorption in rachitic and cholecalciferol-treated chicks. When the data were expressed in terms of absorption of the soluble 203Pb present in the intestinal lumen at the end of the absorption period, an effect of phosphate in addition to the precipitation of the insoluble lead salt was uncovered. In an experiment with normal chicks, it was observed that phosphate in the dosing solution at concentrations of 1 and 2 mM partially and significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of lower concentrations of phosphate (0.01 mM and 0.1 mM). These data demonstrate the complexity of the phosphate-lead interaction, in addition to directly showing an effect of dietary phosphate on intestinal lead absorption.