Genotoxicity

Ghosh, and McCulloch 1981). Mice given oral doses of 18.1 mg/kg/day silver

nitrate for 125 days were observed to have silver deposits in their nervous

systems. These animals were less active than unexposed controls (Rungby and

Danscher 1984). Silver has been found in the brains of neonatal rats whose

mothers received silver lactate on days 18 and 19 of gestation (Rungby and

Danscher 1984). No studies were located that examine the reproductive effects

of silver in animals or humans.

Genotoxicity

Silver is not mutagenic in bacteria but it has been found to cause DNA

damage in mammalian cell culture (Robinson, Cantoni, and Costa 1982). No

studies were located regarding cancer in humans or animals following oral,

inhalation or dermal exposure to silver or silver compounds (ATSDR 1990).

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (1990).

"Toxicological profile for silver," U.S. Public Health Service, Washington,

DC.

Dequidt, J., Vasseur, P., and Gomez-Potentier, P. (1974). "Experimental

toxicological study of some silver derivatives," Bulletin de Societe de

Pharmacie de Lille. 1,23-35.

Matuk, Y., Ghosh, M., and McCulloch, C. (1981). "Distribution of silver in the

eyes and plasma proteins of the albino rat," Can. J. Ophthalmol. 16,1391-

1395.

McMahan, J. T., and Bergfeld, W. F. (1983). "Metallic cutaneous contaminant

mimicking malignant melanoma," Cleveland Clinic Quarterly 50, 177-181.

Robinson, S. H., Cantoni, O., and Costa, M. (1982). "Strand breakage and

decreased molecular weight of DNA induced by specific metal compounds,"

Carcinogenesis 3, 657-662.

Rosenman, K. D., Moss, A., and Kon, S. (1979). "Argyria: Clinical implications

of exposure to silver nitrate and silver oxide," J. Occup. Med. 21,430-435.

Rosenman, K. D., Seixas, N., and Jacobs, I. (1987). "Potential nephrotoxic

effects of exposure to silver," Br. J. Ind. Med. 44, 267-272.

Rungby, J., and Danscher, G. (1984). "Hypoactivity in silver exposed silver

mice," Acta. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 55, 398-401.

Walker, F. (1971). "Experimental orgyria: A model for basement membrane

studies," Br. J. Exp. Pathol. 52, 589-593.

D71

Appendix D Toxicological Profiles