EFFECTS OF CADMIUM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL POLLUTANT, ON LIPID PEROXIDATION IN RAT PANCREATIC TISSUE

Technological development, industrialization and economic development have improved living standards, but also increased toxic metal emissions in the living and working environment. The aim of this study is the monitoring of lipid peroxidation in case of acute intoxication by heavy metal cadmium and the protective role of α-lipoic acid. In this study, we used healthy albino Wistar female rats, two or three months old. Based on the results obtained in this study, we note that cadmium-induced intoxication increases the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the pancreatic tissue homogenate. MDA is a direct indication of lipid peroxidation. Alpha-lipoic acid suggests reduction and correction of the toxic effect of cadmium after its exposure.

Leaching of chromium from chromium contaminated soil: Speciation study and geochemical modeling

Distribution of chromium between soil and leachate was monitored. A natural process of percolating rainwater through the soil was simulated in the laboratory conditions and studied with column leaching extraction. Migration of chromium in the soil is conditioned by the level of chromium soil contamination, the soil organic matter content, and rainwater acidity. Chromium (III) and chromium(VI) were determined by spectrophotometric method with diphenilcarbazide in acidic media. Comparing the results of chromium speciation in leachate obtained by experimental model systems and geochemical modelling calculations using Visual MINTEQ model, a correlation was observed regarding the influence of the tested parameters. Leachate solutions showed that the concentration of Cr depended on the organic matter content. The influence of pH and soil organic matter content is in compliance after its definition through experimental and theoretical way. The computer model - Stockholm Humic Model used to evaluate the leaching results corresponded rather well with the measured values

The investigation of Co(II)-dextran complexes

Co(II) ion complex compounds were synthesized with reduced dextran (RD) in alkali solutions using CoCl2, 6H2O and isolated in the solid state. UV-VIS spectrophotometric investigations of Co(II) complexes with reduced dextran showed that the complexation of Co(II) ions begins at pH over 7. The formation of Co(II) ion complexes with dextran monomer units was observed at pH 7-13. With increase in solution pH the light absorption maximum of complex solutions shifts to longer wavelengths (bat-hochromic shift) compared with [Co(H2O)6]2+ ion. Dextran complexes with Co(II) ion are formed by the displacement of water molecules from the coordination sphere of cobalt by the OH ligand groups. The spectrophotometric parameters of the investigated complexes are characteristic of a Co(II) ion in octahedral or distorted octahedral coordination with O ligand atoms

Correlation between UV-VIS spectra and the structure of Cu(II) complexes with hydrogenated dextran in alkaline solutions

UV-VIS spectrophotometric investigations of Cu(II) complexes with hydroge-nated dextran showed that the complexation of Cu(II)-ions began at pH > 7. The formation of Cu(II) complexes with dextran monomer units was observed at pH 7-12. With further increase in solution pH > 12, the Cu(II)-dextran complex decomposed to Cu(OH)42~-ions and dextran. With increasing solution pH the absorption maximum of complex solutions increased and shifted to shorter wavelength (hypsochromic shift) compared with uncomplexed Cu(II). The UV spectra displayed bathochromic shifts. The changes of UV-VIS spectra with increasing in solution pH confirmed the formation of different kinds of complex species. The correlation between the results of UV-VIS spectrophotometry and the central metal ionligand coordination predicted that the copper binding within the complex depended on the pH and participation H2O molecules. Dextran complexes with Cu(II) were formed by the displacement of water molecules from the coordination sphere of copper by OH groups. The analysis indicated that the Cu(II) center was coordinated to two glucopyranose units of dextran. The spectrophotometric parameters of the investigated complexes were characteristic of a Cu(II)-ion in a square-planar or tetragon ally distorted octahedral coordination

Glutathione protects liver and kidney tissue from cadmium- and lead-provoked lipid peroxidation

Cd and Pb represent a serious ecological problem due to their soluble nature, their mobility and ability to accumulate in the soil. The exposure to these heavy metals can originate from different sources (drinking water, food, air), and they can make their way into the human body through the respiratory and digestive system. We investigated the effects of glutathione on Cd and Pb accumulation and lipid peroxidation effects in the liver and kidneys of heavy metal intoxicated rats. The content of the marker of lipid peroxidation - malondialdehyde was increased several fold the in tissues of exposed animals, the effects being more pronounced in liver. The treatment of intoxicated animals with glutathione drastically suppressed lipid peroxidation. Our results imply that the application of glutathione may have protective role in heavy metal intoxication by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. However, precaution should be made when it comes to Cd, since it seems that glutathione promoted Cd accumulation in the liver