Interrelationships among Copper, Zinc, and Cadmium in the Diet of the Confused Flour Beetle

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Abstract
Interrelations of dietary copper, zinc, and cadmium have been studied in species such as the mouse, rat, and chicken. It was thought worthwhile, therefore, to run parallel studies with a quite different species, an insect, particularly since most such species do not utilize a respiratory pigment. In the diet of the Confused Flour Beetle, Tribolium confusum (Duval), additional copper slightly reduced the toxic effects of high levels of both zinc and cadmium. Although cadmium is highly toxic when only minimal levels of zinc are present, higher levels of zinc are effective in reducing the cadmium toxicity. In terms of requirements of the flour beetle, cadmium in the diet raises the zinc requirement considerably and the copper requirement slightly. A possible competition for enzyme sites is suggested.

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