Role of Nature of Anions in the Toxicities of Various Lead Salts Lead Nitrate, Lead Sulphate & Lead Acetate on the Different Organs of Female Rats

Heavy metal toxicity is a serious worldwide problem which adversely affects the growth, health, reproductive performance and life span of all living organisms. In my previous work1-4 I (Dhir) have worked on the toxicological aspects on the reproductive functions in female rats, physicochemical interactions in between the biomolecules with series of cations and also studied the importance of hydrophobic character of big biomolecules. Therefore; in this project I studied the importance of nature of anion in the salt of lead. Lead being a toxic cumulative poison and an environmental pollutant, experiments were conducted on an oral chronic dose (@35 mg/kg/day) for 90 days on adult female rats (Rattus Norvegicus) and its effect on the reproductive functions in relation to the biochemical effects were studied. It was observed that the chronic dose of various salts of lead caused an elevation in the level of proteins, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in all the soft tissues which indicated tissue damage and the effects are received in the following order (as in case of anions):

However no literature was available so far as to compare the effect of anion on the toxicity level of lead. The doubly charged sulphate anion (SO₄²⁻) interacts physicochemically with the various biological biomolecules (imidazole, cysteine sulfhydryls & amino group of lysine) results in tissue damage as in comparison with nitrate and acetate which are singly charged. Histological studies of ovary showed atresia (Figures 1–4) in all the stages of folliculogenesis sustaining the poor fertility observations.