Consequence of smoke from crude oil contaminated firewood on female reproductive hormones and oxidative stress biomarkers of Wistar rats

Abstract

The study evaluated the effect of smoke from crude oil contaminated firewood on selected female reproductive hormones and oxidative stress biomarkers of wistar rats. The smoke exposure lasted for 28 days. Carbon monoxide (CO), Oxides of Nitrogen (NO_x), Oxides of Sulphur (SO_x), Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), Methane (CH₄), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC), Ammonia (NH₃) and Particulate Matter (PM) (1, 2.5, 10) were determined in the smoke generated from the burning of firewood harvested from crude oil polluted site. Oxidative stress biomarker (Catalase (CAT), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) and female reproductive hormone (FSH, LH and estrogen) were evaluated in the wistar rats exposed to smoke generated from this firewood. The air profile values of the polluted firewood smoke was CO (112.3ppm), SO2 (0.61ppm), VOC (3.5ppm), NH₃ (2.63ppm), PM₁ (0.11ppm), PM_2.5 (0.16ppm), PM₁₀ (0.27ppm). The estrogen level in all the groups were significantly reduced when compared to the control except for group 2 which has no significant change (p≥ 0.05). The oxidative stress markers SOD and CAT were significantly increased (p≤ 0.05) in groups 3, 4, 6 and 7. MDA were significantly increase (p≤ 0.05) in groups 6 and 7. These results reveal that smoke of firewood from an oil impacted environment have the potential to elicit toxic effects on selected reproductive hormones and oxidative stress in wistar rats.

Keywords: Air pollution, Smoke, Reproductive hormone, Oxidative stress