Evaluation of the affinity of the components of blood and fur of albino rat for bioaccumulation of chromium (VI) ion following mild exposure

Abstract

The study investigates the affinity of chromium (VI) ion for the components of blood and fur of female albino rats after spaced dosing with 5 mL and 1 mL of 1.0 μg/mL K₂Cr₂O₇ solution intraperitoneally in May, 2012; for application in forensic analyses following industrial and environmental exposures. The level of total-Cr ions was determined in the serum, red blood cell, plasma and fur of the experimental female albino rats after dosing with 5 mL of 1.0 μg/mL K₂Cr₂O₇ solution intraperitoneally in day 1, and 1 mL of the same solution on day 8 of the experiment, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. After two weeks of K₂Cr₂O₇ administration, 12.127 ± 0.726 μg/mL, 2.956 ± 0.003, 2.210 ± 0.002 and 4.090 ± 0.0078 μg/mL were the mean levels of ions in the serum, red blood cell (RBC), plasma and fur respectively. There was no significant weight increase in the experimental group compared to the control group during the dosing period; however, the experimental group showed passiveness, consumed less feed, but had more water intake compared to the control group. The ranking for the mean level of total-Cr ions in the experimental rat followed the ranking, serum > fur > red blood cell (RBC) > plasma; while the control had the ranking serum > fur > plasma > RBC. There was high statistical increase in the ions in the serum of the experimental rat compared to the control; likewise the level in the experimental fur was highly elevated compared to the control (P < 0.05). The total-Cr ions in the fur and serum were doubled due to the administration of K₂Cr₂O₇ solution to the rats. The findings of the study signaled that the fur and serum can equally serve as specimen for detection of mild exposure to Cr (VI) during forensic investigation.

Key words: albino rat; blood component; chromium (VI) ion; forensic; mild exposure