The purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of lead acetate on the distribution of endogenic zinc and copper in the tissues and blood of rabbits. The study was carried out on healthy male and female mongrel rabbits. Lead acetate at the doses of 0,4 or 2 mg/kg b.w. was injected once intravenously. The rabbits in the control group were treated with 0,9% saline solution. On hour 72 following lead administration, the rabbits were sacrificed and the samples of liver, kidneys, brain, skeletal muscles, perirenal fat and blood were taken. The samples were mineralized dry in a muffle furnace at 450 0C. The level of zinc and copper directly and lead in the organic phase of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) were determined by the absorption atomic spectrophotometry method using Pye Unicam SP-9 counter. It has been found that the administration of lead acetate dependent on the dose applied changes the levels of zinc and copper in the examined tissues. The exposure to lead acetate at a dose of 0,4 mg/kg decreases the level of endogenic zinc and copper in the liver, kidneys and brain of rabbits. Hovewer, the administration of lead acetate at the dose of 2 mg/kg does not affect the level of zinc and copper in the tissues of rabbits.

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