Toxicologic studies with lambs fed sugar beets grown on municipal sludge-amended soil: lowered relative hemoglobin in red blood cells and mutagens in blood and excreta.

Sugar beets grown on municipal sludge-amended soil were fed to growing lambs for 66 days. The relative hemoglobin content was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in the lambs fed the sludge-grown sugar beets. The concentration of direct-acting mutagens was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than controls in blood and urine of the lambs fed the sludge-grown beets. Cadmium concentration was higher, but not significantly (P greater than 0.05) in the livers and kidneys of the lambs fed the sludge-grown beets as compared with controls. Significant differences between treatment groups were not observed in active or passive K+ influxes in RBC; in the activity of hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase in p-nitroanisole-O-demethylase, aminopyrene-N-demethylase, or arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase; in tissue ultrastructure of kidney, liver, or muscle as examined by electron microscopy; or in carcass weight, dressing percentage, quality, or yield grade.