Disposition and clearance of tungsten after single-dose oral and intravenous exposure in rodents.

Tungsten (W) has been nominated for study to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) because of reported associations between concentrations of W in drinking water and childhood leukemia. The disposition of W (administered as sodium tungstate dihydrate in water) in plasma, liver, kidneys, uterus, femur, and intestine of rodents (Sprague-Dawley rats and C57BL/6N mice) was characterized after exposures by oral gavage (1, 10, or 100 mg/kg) or intravenous (1 mg/kg) administration. Each tissue (or plasma) was collected and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry at 1, 2, 4, or 24 h after dose administration.