Toxic and gonadotropic effects of cadmium and boron relative to standards for these substances in drinking water.

Experimental research was conducted on the study of the relationship of the general toxic and gonadotoxic effects of cadmium and boron under conditions of subacute and chronic oral intoxication on white random-bred rats, by use of biochemical, physiological, cytological, and pathomorphological methods. It is shown that the gonadotoxic effect of cadmium is manifested on the same level (3 mg/kg of body weight) as the general toxic effect. The gonadotoxic effect of boron is dominant and is manifested at a lower level (6 mg/kg of body weight) than the general toxic effect (20 mg/kg). On the basis of the results of chronic experiments, 0.001 mg/l. is recommended as the hygienic standard for cadmium in water and 0.5 mg/l. for boron.