Toxicity associated with long term use of aluminum cookware in mice: A systemic, genetic and reproductive perspective

Health risk and germ cell toxicity of five commercially available sachet waters in Nigeria: a public health concern

Background

Sachet water is the most common form of portable water commercially available in Nigeria.

Methodology

Using the murine sperm count and sperm abnormality assay, the germ cell toxicity of five common commercially available sachet waters in Nigeria was assessed in this study. The levels of hormones such as Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Total Testosterone (TT); and activities of catalase (CAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated. The heavy metal and physicochemical parameters of the sachet waters were also analyzed. Healthy male mice were allowed to freely drink the sachet waters for 35 days after which they were sacrificed.

Results

The findings indicated that the concentrations of some heavy metals (As, Cr, and Cd) in the sachet waters exceeded the limit by regulatory organizations. The data of the total carcinogenic risk (TCR) and total non-carcinogenic risk (THQ) of some heavy metals associated with the ingestion of sachet water for adults and children showed that the values exceeded the acceptable threshold, and thus, is indicative of a high non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. The data of the sperm abnormality assay showed that in the exposed mice, the five sachet waters induced a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in abnormal sperm cells and a significantly lower mean sperm count. Additionally noted were changes in the serum activities of TT, FSH, ALP, AST, ALT, and LH.

Conclusion

Thus, the sachet waters studied contained agents that can induce reproductive toxicity in exposed humans. This is of public health importance and calls for immediate action by regulatory bodies.

Comparative chemical analysis, mutagenicity, and genotoxicity of Petroleum refinery wastewater and its contaminated river using prokaryotic and eukaryotic assays

Concern on the toxicity of final wastewater generated by the petroleum refining industry has increased in recent years due to the potential health threats associated with their release into the waterways. This study determined the mutagenic and genotoxic potential of petroleum refinery wastewater and a receiving river using the Ames fluctuation test on Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA98, SOS chromotest on Escherichia coli PQ37, and piscine peripheral micronucleus (MN) assay. Analyses of the physicochemical parameters, heavy metal, and organic contents of the samples were also performed. Ames test result showed that the two tested samples were mutagenic with TA100 strain as the more responsive strain for both the refinery wastewater and the river sample in terms of the calculated mutagenic index. A similar result was obtained in the SOS chromotest; however, the E. coli PQ37 system recorded a slightly higher sensitivity for detecting genotoxins than the Salmonella assay in the two samples. MN data showed induction of a concentration-dependent significant (p < 0.05) increase in the frequency of MN by both samples when compared with the negative control. Generally, the refinery wastewater induced the highest mutagenicity and genotoxicity compared to the river sample in the three assays used. Haemoglobin, platelets, red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume, total white blood cells, heterophils, haematocrit, and eosinophils reduced significantly with increased lymphocytes, basophils, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in fishes exposed to both samples. Total petroleum hydrocarbon, benzene, toluene, phenol index, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cadmium, mercury, nickel, lead, and vanadium contents analysed in the samples were believed to be responsible for the observed genotoxicity and mutagenicity. The findings of this study revealed that petroleum refinery wastewater is a potential mutagenic and genotoxic risk to the environment.

Turn-on fluorescent sensor based on curcumin@MOF-5 for the sensitive detection of Al3

Two fluorescent chemosensors based on MOF-5 and curcumin (A-curcumin@MOF-5 and B-curcumin@MOF-5) were designed and synthesized. The two curcumin@MOF-5 materials retained the framework structure of MOF-5 and the fluorescence properties of curcumin. Importantly, both curcumin@MOF-5 materials in ethanol displayed highly selective fluorescence enhancement responses toward Al³⁺ with the special pore structure of MOF-5 as the main reason for the high selectivity. The fluorescence intensities of the two curcumin@MOF-5 materials showed a good linear relationship with Al³⁺ concentration with low detection limits of 3.10 μM for A-curcumin@MOF-5 and 2.84 μM for B-curcumin@MOF-5, respectively. The complexation of curcumin with Al³⁺ inhibited the photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) process and further enhanced the fluorescence of the curcumin molecules. Both the curcumin@MOF-5 materials can be used as fluorescent sensors to identify and detect Al³⁺ in water samples.

Comparative study of the reproductive toxicity and modulation of enzyme activities by crude oil-contaminated soil before and after bioremediation

Contamination of soil with crude oil is a serious ecological problem with potential adverse public health effects. This study assessed the germ cell toxicity of simulated leachates from crude oil-contaminated soil before and after bioremediation using the murine sperm abnormality assay, sperm count, and testes histopathology. The levels of Total Testosterone (TT), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and Luteinizing Hormone (LH); and activities of catalase (CAT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were determined. The physicochemical, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH), and heavy metal analyses of the leachates were also carried out. Male mice were exposed to 50, 25, 10, 5, and 1% (v/v; leachate:distilled water) of the leachate samples for five consecutive days, and were sacrificed after 35 days. The result showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05), concentration-dependent increase in abnormal sperm cells in exposed mice, with aberrations such as folded sperm, amorphous head, wrong tail attachment, distal droplet, no hook, and looped tail. Data further showed a concentration-dependent significant reduction in mean sperm count in the exposed mice. Alterations of seminiferous tubules with different lesions and activities of ALT, AST, ALP, FSH, LH, and TT were also recorded. The high level of selected heavy metals (As, Cr, Cd, Cu, and Pb) and TPH was believed to contribute to the observed reproductive toxicity and modulated enzyme activities in the treated mice. It is therefore concluded that the microbial remediation of the crude oil contaminated soil produced a reduction in the levels of heavy metals and TPH in the soil, reduced reproductive toxicity, and modulation of enzyme activities. However, the induced reproductive toxicity by the bioremediated soil is still significant, hence, further work could be done to employ a consortium of bacteria and extend the period of the bioremediation process to ensure complete removal of the contaminants.

Mutagenicity and genotoxicity of water boiled in aluminum pots of different duration of use using SOS chromotest and Ames fluctuation test

Boiling water before drinking or using it for cooking is a general practice especially in areas where portable water is not readily available. However, boiling water in an aluminum pot could be a route of entry of heavy metals into humans. This study assessed the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of boiled water samples from aluminum pots of different duration of use using the SOS chromotest on Escherichia coli PQ37 and the Ames fluctuation test on Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100, respectively. Three aluminum pots from the same manufacturer but of different years of use (6-year-old, 3-year-old, and new aluminum pots) were used for the experiment. Six selected heavy metals (Cadmium, Copper, Arsenic, Nickel, Lead, and Aluminum) were also analyzed in the samples using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS Buck, Scientific model 210 VGP). Cadmium, Copper, Arsenic, Nickel, Lead, and Aluminum were present in all the test water samples at concentrations that were higher than the maximum limit allowable by standard regulatory organizations. The concentrations of these metals in the samples also increased as the duration of use of the aluminum pots increased. The results further showed that the water boiled in the three aluminum pots is mutagenic and genotoxic in both Ames fluctuation and SOS chromotests. The 6-year-old aluminum pot induced the highest mutagenicity and genotoxicity followed by the 3-year-old aluminum pot. The metals in the tested samples were believed to be responsible for the observed mutagenicity and genotoxicity in the microbial assays. The findings of this study revealed that cooking with Aluminum pots could lead to the leaching of heavy metals into food, and pose mutagenic and genotoxic risks to consumers.