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Scandium, Chromium(VI), Gallium, Yttrium, Rhodium, Palladium, Indium in Mice: Effects on Growth and Life Span¹

Department of Physiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

In order to evaluate possible innate toxic effects of small doses of scandium, hexavalent chromium, gallium, yttrium, indium, rhodium and palladium in terms of growth and survival, 958 mice divided as to sex were raised in an environment limited in metallic contamination and given 5 ppm metal in drinking water from weaning until natural death. Body weight was measured at monthly intervals up to 6 months, at 1 year and at 18 months of age. The feeding of gallium was accompanied by significant but not marked suppression of weight at 14 of 16 intervals in both sexes; the feeding of scandium was associated with growth suppression at 10, of indium at 8, of palladium at 7 and of rhodium at 6 of 16 intervals compared to mean weights of controls. The feeding of yttrium and hexavalent chromium were associated with significant lessening of growth at 12 and 8 of 16 intervals, respectively. Survival of galliumfed females at older ages was less than that of controls, whereas survival of palladium-fed males and yttrium-fed mice of both sexes were greater. Tumors were found at necropsy in 16.3% of one group of controls, 27.4% of the scandium, 26.0% of the gallium, 13.0% of the indium, 28.8% of the rhodium and 29.2% of the palladium groups. Malignant tumors were increased in rhodium and palladium groups, at a minimally significant level of confidence (P < 0.05), all but one tumor being malignant. In a second series, tumors were present in 26.8% of controls, 27.6% of the mice fed chromium (VI) and 33% of the mice fed yttrium. All tumors in these latter two groups were malignant. Rhodium and palladium appear to exhibit slight carcinogenic activity in mice.

² Present address: 9 Belmont Avenue, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301.

Manuscript received 8 June 1971.