Abstract: A nesting box is provided for use with a metabolism cage. The nesting box comprises an enclosure for receiving a nesting dam. The enclosure has a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls. Either the top wall or one of the sidewalls includes an entrance/exit aperture. The entrance/exit aperture has a selected size that is selectively provided relative to a defined size of the nesting dam. The nesting box is formed of a substantially transparent material allowing observation of the nesting dam and pups without opening the box. The nesting box is adapted for use with different laboratory animals, such as mice, hamsters, gerbils, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Abstract: A process for measuring low levels of cadmium in blood and other biological specimens is provided without interference from high levels of alkali metal contaminants by forming an aqueous solution and without contamination by environmental cadmium absent the proteins from the specimen, selectively removing cadmium from the aqueous solution on an anion exchange resin, thereby removing the alkali metal contaminants, resolubilizing cadmium from the resin to form a second solution and analyzing the second solution for cadmium, the process being carried out in a cadmium-free environment.