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Short Communication
A simplified method for correcting contaminant concentrations in eggs for moisture loss†
Article first published online: 9 DEC 2009
DOI: 10.1897/08-608.1
Copyright © 2009 SETAC
Additional Information
How to Cite
Heinz, G. H., Stebbins, K. R., Klimstra, J. D. and Hoffman, D. J. (2009), A simplified method for correcting contaminant concentrations in eggs for moisture loss. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 28: 1425–1428. doi: 10.1897/08-608.1
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Publication History
- Issue published online: 9 DEC 2009
- Article first published online: 9 DEC 2009
- Manuscript Accepted: 22 JAN 2009
- Manuscript Received: 24 NOV 2008
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Moisture loss;
- Eggs;
- Toxicity;
- Contaminant residues
Abstract
We developed a simplified and highly accurate method for correcting contaminant concentrations in eggs for the moisture that is lost from an egg during incubation. To make the correction, one injects water into the air cell of the egg until overflowing. The amount of water injected corrects almost perfectly for the amount of water lost during incubation or when an egg is left in the nest and dehydrates and deteriorates over time. To validate the new method we weighed freshly laid chicken (Gallus gallus) eggs and then incubated sets of fertile and dead eggs for either 12 or 19 d. We then injected water into the air cells of these eggs and verified that the weights after water injection were almost identical to the weights of the eggs when they were fresh. The advantages of the new method are its speed, accuracy, and simplicity: It does not require the calculation of a correction factor that has to be applied to each contaminant residue.