| Popis: |
Water and salt samples from Uburu salt lakes have been reported to elicit various degrees of toxicity. Reproductive toxicity of samples from the lakes were studied in the present research. The quantity of selected persistent organic pollutants in these lakes includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) were assessed using gas chromatographic and mass spectroscopic equipment. Heavy metals were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. 85 male bred Sprague-Dawley Rats weighing 170-200g obtained from Manchester school of veterinary institute were used in the study. The animals were housed in a centralized animal care facility maintained at 22 to 25oC with a relative humidity of 76 ± 5%. The levels of Cd, Cr, Mn, Pb, Mg and Ni found in the lakes samples were significantly (p0.05) in the groups administered with water from Uburu salt lakes. The levels of antioxidant markers:- catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione were lowered significantly (p0.05). Photomicrograph of testes of the treated rats showed severe degenerative changes on the spermatogenic cells and atrophy of the testes unlike the control. These effects were found to be dose- dependent to the dose administered.Theresultsareindicativeofthetoxicityoftheselakestothereproductivesystemswithrawwatersamplesbeingmoretoxicthantheloc-allyprocessedsaltsamples. |
