Journal of Ecophysiology and Occupational Health

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Chronic Exposure to Heavy Metals Declines Sperm Quality and Damages Tissue Architecture


Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College, Barrackpore, Kolkata – 700120, West Bengal, India
 

This study aimed to assess the toxic effects of heavy metals in adult male rats after chronic exposure in early life stages. Juvenile male Wistar rats were kept in constant supply of drinking water having heavy metal salts such as Sodium Arsenite, Cadmium Chloride and Lead Acetate of dose 100 times higher than Maximum Contamination Limit (MCL; laid done by US EPA, 2009) for 3 months along with control rats with a supply of heavy metal free water. The result showed decreased sperm count and increase in abnormal sperm in all treated cases. Histopathology showed that testes and liver tissues of treated rats were severely damaged. Thus, this study showed that chronic exposure to heavy metals such as Arsenic, Cadmium and Lead in juvenile period may result in reduced reproductive capacity at later stage of life.

Keywords

Heavy Metal, Live, Male Rats, Reproduction, Testis
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  • Chronic Exposure to Heavy Metals Declines Sperm Quality and Damages Tissue Architecture

Abstract Views: 162  |  PDF Views: 81

Authors

Sujata De Chaudhuri
Department of Zoology, Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College, Barrackpore, Kolkata – 700120, West Bengal, India

Abstract


This study aimed to assess the toxic effects of heavy metals in adult male rats after chronic exposure in early life stages. Juvenile male Wistar rats were kept in constant supply of drinking water having heavy metal salts such as Sodium Arsenite, Cadmium Chloride and Lead Acetate of dose 100 times higher than Maximum Contamination Limit (MCL; laid done by US EPA, 2009) for 3 months along with control rats with a supply of heavy metal free water. The result showed decreased sperm count and increase in abnormal sperm in all treated cases. Histopathology showed that testes and liver tissues of treated rats were severely damaged. Thus, this study showed that chronic exposure to heavy metals such as Arsenic, Cadmium and Lead in juvenile period may result in reduced reproductive capacity at later stage of life.

Keywords


Heavy Metal, Live, Male Rats, Reproduction, Testis

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.15512/jeoh%2F2022%2Fv22i3%2F216553