Water contamination: A culprit of serum heavy metals concentration, oxidative stress and health risk among residents of a Nigerian crude oil-producing community.

Niger Delta has become popular for crude oil extraction for the past few decades. This uncoordinated activity has made it a hotspot for xenobiotics exposure and water bodies remain the environmental matrix significantly affected. One of the most deleterious components of crude oil is heavy metals (HMs). This study investigates HMs concentration in water and serum of humans residing in an oil-host community with the consideration of systemic effects, pollution status, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks and comparison made with residents from a non-oil-producing community. Heavy metal analysis, serum electrolytes, Urea, Creatinine, and liver enzymes were assessed using standard procedures; malondialdehyde, catalase, SOD, glutathione reductase, GPx and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by spectrophotometry and TNF-α and 8-OHdG assessed via ELISA method. We found altered serum electrolytes; increased serum Pb and Cd levels; increased AST, ALT, ALP and lipid peroxidation; and decreased enzymes antioxidants including TAC among Ugbegugun community residents compared with control. We observed an association between environmental crude oil contamination, ecological and health risks in the community. We concluded that protracted exposure to HMs induces multi-systemic toxicities characterized by DNA damage, depletion of the antioxidant system, and increased free radical generation culminating lipo-peroxidation with significant ecological, carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic risks characterize crude oil water contamination.

Plasma Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) Concentrations at the Different Phases of the Oestrus Cycle in Clomiphene Treated Female Rats.

Interleukin - 1ß (IL-1ß) is a signal molecule known for its role in inflammation and immune response. However,there are reports on the possible effects of IL-1ß in ovulation and various aspects on female reproduction. It was thereforenecessary to determine plasma IL-1ß levels in female rats administered ovulation inducing agent clomiphene citrate. In thiswork, a total of forty (40) female wistar rats weighing between 150g and 225g were used. Twenty of the rats wereadministered 0.14mg/kg clomiphene citrate orally daily for five days while the other twenty which served as control, receivednormal saline. The phases of the oestrus cycle (proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus) were determined between the hoursof 8.30am and 10.00am on the sixth day prior to collection of blood sample by cardiac puncture. The plasma IL-1ßconcentrations were determined using rat IL-1ß ELISA kits. From the experiment, 41.2% of the control rats were in thediestrus phase while 42.1% of the clomiphene citrate treated rats were in the estrus phase. The IL-1ß plasma concentrationswere higher in clomiphene treated rats at all the phases of the oestrus cycle of experimental rats when compared with thecontrol. The increase in plasma IL-1ß was significant (p˂0.05) in the estrus phase of the clomiphene citrate treated rats(550.53pg/ml) when compared with the control (304.42pg/ml). The high plasma concentration of IL-1ß at the estrus phaseof clomiphene citrate treated rats suggests its possible involvement in oocyte maturation and ovulation which characterizesthe phase.