Abstract:
This study investigated the effects of sub-chronic contamination of drinking water with low sub-lethal concentrations of inorganic fertilizer on some clinically significant blood
biochemical indices of liver and kidney function. 50 male albino rats of 10 – 11 weeks of age were used for the study. They were divided into five groups (groups A – E) of 10 rats each and given drinking water experimentally contaminated with NPK:15-15-15 fertilizer at the level of 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1% and 0% (uncontaminated control) w/v respectively for a period of 14 weeks. Relevant clinical biochemical tests of liver and renal function were carried out following standard procedures. Results showed that group A rats (2% fertilizer contamination) had a significantly lower (p<0.05) serum alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and fasting plasma glucose level (FPGL), and a significantly higher (p<0.05) serum alkaline phosphatase (AP), total bilirubin (TB) and plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) when compared to the group E (control). The group B rats (1% fertilizer contamination) had a significantly elevated serum AP, TB and PUN and significantly lowered FPGL when compared to the control. The group D rats (0.1% fertilizer contamination) had a significantly higher FPGL when compared to the control. It was concluded that contamination of drinking water with 2% or 1% fertilizer led to liver damage, renal failure and hypoglycaemia, while contamination at 0.1% was associated with fasting hyperglycaemia.
