Exposure of Japanese quail embryos to o,p′‐DDT has long‐term effects on reproductive behaviors, hematology, and feather morphology

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Abstract
Japanese quail eggs were injected with 1‐(2‐chlorophenyl)‐1‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2,2,2‐trichloroethane p,p′‐DDT (1–10 mg), 1,1‐bis(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2,2,2‐trichloroethane p,p′‐DDT (1–10 mg), or, in one study, 0.5 mg chlordecone dissolved in 50 μl of corn oil on day 1 of incubation. Hatchability was not decreased by p,p′‐DDT or p,p′‐DDT, as compared to corn‐oil‐injected controls, but was reduced in progeny of parents injected in ovo with either isomer. Tremor was observed for up to 4 days posthatching only in birds injected with 1.75–10 mg p,p′‐DDT or chlordecone. Survivability to 5 weeks posthatch was reduced (± 50%) in birds injected in ovo with 6.25–7.5 mg, p,p′‐DDT or 1.75‐5 mg p,p′‐DDT as compared to corn oil (96%). Reproductive behaviors were attenuated in birds injected during development with p,p′‐DDT, both DDT isomers decreased the total number of ovipositions, and p,p′‐DDT increased the total number of eggshell malformations. Neither body weights nor reproductive organ weights at 12 weeks were affected by injection of either isomer. Exposure to DDT did not affect acquisition of a matched‐to‐sample food‐reinforced response or subsequent responding on a random interval schedule of reinforcement. In another experiment, total circulating erythrocyte numbers were reduced in females after injection in ovo with p,p′‐DDT but not after injection with p,p′‐DDT. A primary humoral immune response was not affected by in ovo exposure to either isomer of DDT. In ovo exposure to p,p′‐DDT but not to p,p′‐DDT had long‐term and estrogen‐like effects on behavior and hematology in Japanese quail. Posthatch primary feather morphology was also altered by embryonic exposure to o,p′‐DDT, p,p′‐DDT, and chlordecone.