Bioaccumulation of industrial heavy metals in rats and bioremediation using calcium alginate.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt

2 Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Unit, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt

Abstract

Evaluation of industrial effluents poured in drains connected to agricultural canals was achieved through estimating heavy metal concentrations. The recorded metals were arranged descendingly as Mn, Fe, Zn, Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Cr in effluent samples. Treatment of effluent samples with Ca-alginate for 5 hours exhibited a significant decrease in metal concentration compared to untreated effluents. By exposing young male rats to different effluent concentrations (10%, 50% and 100%) and treated 100% effluent group for 11 weeks, metals effectively accumulated in the liver of young rats, depending on the effluent concentration. While the treated group with Ca-alginate showed significant amelioration in metal bioaccumulation in liver. Biochemical studies on young rats exhibited significant disturbance in liver oxidant/antioxidant parameters according to the effluent concentrations in all effluent groups. The antioxidants, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase levels and glutathione content were significantly decreased in effluent groups compared to control. This was accompanied by significant elevation of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl, as oxidative stress markers. However, all these changes were ameliorated in treated group. Therefore, Ca-alginate can be effectively used for the remedy of heavy metals in industrial effluents and maintain animal health.

Keywords

Mansoura Journal of Biology
Volume 55, Issue 2
June 2022
Pages 1-8

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics