Relevancy of bivalent sulphur excretion to carbon disulphide exposure in different metabolic conditions

Abstract

Magos, L. (1972).Brit. J. industr. Med.,29, 90-94. Relevancy of bivalent sulphur excretion to carbon disulphide exposure in different metabolic conditions. A quantitative spectrophotometric method for the estimation of urinary bivalent sulphur by its catalytic effect on the iodine-azide reaction has been developed for rats exposed to carbon disulphide (CS₂). Urinary CS₂ was also determined. Exposure to CS₂ increased the excretion of bivalent sulphur in both fed and starved animals, but the increase in starved animals was significantly less than in fed animals. Starvation also decreased the urinary excretion of CS₂. Phenobarbitone pretreatment, which induced liver damage in animals subsequently exposed to CS₂, had no effect on either bivalent sulphur or CS₂ excretion. Three dithiocarbamate fungicides, Thiram, Ziram, and Zineb, given by mouth increased the excretion of bivalent sulphur in the following order: Zineb<Ziram<Thiram.

After 250 mg/kg sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) given intraperitoneally the same amount of CS₂ was excreted in the urine as after 4 hours' exposure to 2·0 mg/l CS₂, but the bivalent sulphur excretion was six times higher. Starvation did not decrease the excretion of CS₂ or bivalent sulphur after DDC.