Effect of Exposure to Lead and Cadmium in Drinking Water Sourced from Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region on Serum Enzymes and Eletrolytes of Albino Wistar Rats

Abstract

Drinking water randomly collected from various sources in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region were assessed for lead (Pd) and cadmium (Cd) contents. Groups of albino Wistar rats were exposed to these water samples ad libitum as drinking water for a duration of 28 days, following which levels of three(3) serum enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase- AST, alanine aminotransferase- ALT and alkaline phosphatase- ALP) and electrolytes (Na⁺, K⁺ and CI) were investigated using standard analytical methods. The results indicated that Pd (0.105-0.142 mg/L) and Cd (0.015-0.024mg/L) detected in the water samples caused significant increases (P<0.05) in AST (102.92 + 0.23 U/L), ALT (96.63+ 0.20 U/L) and ALP (83.86+ 0.35 U/L), but there were significant decrease (P<0.05) in Na⁺ (102.72 + 0.75 mmol/L), CI^- (39.38 + 0.55 mmol/L) and increase (P<0.05 in K⁺ (5.18 + 0.40 mmol/L) in the albino Wistar rats. These results suggest possible toxicity on the liver and kidney.

Keywords: Lead, cadmium, drinking water, serum enzymes and electrolytes