Effects of crude oil ingestion on avian intestinal function

Intestinal function in mallard ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos) on a freshwater regime was studied after a 7-day dietary ingestion of 0.25% and 2.5% Prudhoe Bay crude oil (PBCO) or a 2.5% paraffin mixture with an in vivo luminal perfusion technique. Dietary ingestion of 2.5% PBCO may have an effect on the integrity of the duckling intestine. There were no significant effects of PBCO on the absorption of Na, Cl, K, or H₂O compared with control animals. The ducklings fed 2.5% paraffin had a significant depression in Na and H₂O absorption compared with controls. However, this depression does not seem to be related to an effect on intestinal mucosa Na-K-ATPase activity.