TOXICOLOGY
Cutest,
"The Cutest Kitty"
died 3/29/07
16 yrs old
Barbi Twins Comment on their Loss and Lawsuit
Class Action Law Firm:
Blim & Edelson LLC, Chicago
www.blimlaw.com
| Contaminates listed in order of appearance in Recall Timeline | |
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Aminopterin -
At first it was believed poisoning was due to
Aminopterin (a rat poison) Compound derived from pteridine, a compound first identified in butterflies' wings1 Aminopterin is used to kill rodents in other countries but it is not licensed in the U.S. |
It has been used in the U.S. (late 40's) as a cancer drug,
as it stops cancer cell grown and suppreses the imune
system (inhitibts DNA replication and RNA and protein
synthesis). A less toxic folic acid analog, methotrexate has
largely superseded it.
Aminopterin's toxicity is believed to be similar to
methotrexate's which, in high doses, leads to the deposit of
7-hydroxymethotrexate crystals in renal tubules, eventually
causing acute kidney failure.
Pet food industry unites in crisis - PRWeek (subscription), NY -
Aminopterin
Aminopterin
Chemical data sheet for Aminopterin -
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melamine - Later lab tests determined melamine was in wheat gluten. Now suspected of causing the illnesses. While Melamine was thought to be of no health concern, except to cats, it is unknown what effect the other chemicals or the combination of chemicals could have on animals or people. The public learns that China commonly used Melamine as an additive to wheat gluten to increase protein content levels. As the recalls unfold it is soon learned that US companies use Melamine in feed. |
Melamine is asmall, nitrogen-containing molecule, used as an industrial binding agent, flame retardant and, when polymerized, as a plastic to make cooking utensils and plates, floor and counter laminates, ready-to-assemble furniture and other common household items. In Asia, the monomer has been used as a fertilizer, but it is not registered for that use in the U.S.
Ariana Lindquist for The New York Times
Pet food makers get melamine caution -
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
Cause Of Deaths, Illness In Pets Remains Elusive -
Chemical Engineering News -
Apr 04
Human, pet food makers checked for melamine, -
CBSNEWS-
Melamine:
The Chemical Found in Recalled Pet Food
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GoodNewsForPets
Chemical Sampling Information Melamine
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OSHA
Chemical Database - Melamine
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EnvironmentalChemistry.com
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Cyanuric Acid
- Another banned chemical, cyanuric acid was found in the
urine of hogs bound for slaughter. The hogs were fed pet
food scraps. The FDA states that there is potentially no
harm to humans. Cyanuric acid is used in the US as a water treatment stabilizer for swimming pools and hot tubs and thought not to be highly toxic on its own. Chinese animal feed producers often came to purchase cyanuric acid to blend into their feed because it was cheaper and helped increase protein content. |
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It is reported that Amilorine and
amiloride also were found in the tissue and urine of animals
that ate the contaminated food but not in the ingredient itself.
Cyanuric acid, amilorine, and amiloride are metabolites of
melamine. "On May 1, scientists at the University of Guelph in Canada made a startling discovery. In a laboratory they found that melamine and cyanuric acid reacted with each other to form crystals that could impair kidney function - crystals similar to those discovered in affected pets. Cyanuric acid, a chemical stabilizer in swimming pools, was then found by U.S. investigators to have been added by Chinese pet food producers because it was cheaper than melamine and also helped to increase protein count." Beware of fortune cookies - The Daily News of Newburyport, MA - Cyanuric Acid Found in Tainted Ingredients HPLC Determination of Cyanuric Acid - AmericanChemicalSociety - ACS..org Cyanuric Acid Found in Tainted Ingredients - Toxicologists closer to final answer on tainted pet food - FTWayne.com (May 2) |
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MELAMINE AND
Cyanuric Acid - The deaths
was soon related to the discovery of cyanuric acid .
Combined with Melamine they react and form a white
solid called a “super-molecular aggregate.” An animal's
stomach is too acidic but the passing through the urinary tract,
stones are created and block the urinary tubes
The following shows wheat gluten contaminated with melamine
(Figure 1)
compared with normal wheat gluten (Figure 2).
University of Guelph Lab Services Results
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Interaction
of compounds caused deaths, experts suggest
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FOOD
CHAIN PILE-UP
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