Reproductive toxicity and biomaker response of male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to cuprous oxide and petrol

The effect of cuprous oxide and petrol on albino rats was studied using selected parameters associated with rat haematology and semen. The haematological parameters evaluated were Pack cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red blood cell (RBC), Mean corpuscular Volume (McV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (McH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration(McHc), while the semen analysis carried out includes; Motility quantitative (M1), Debris quantitative (D1), sperm count (C), morphology primordial (Mp) and morphology structure (Ms). The results revealed the following; Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 had a mean value of 43.0, 31.0, 26.75 and 23.75 respectively for PCV with significant difference (P<0.05) in all the treated groups when compared to the control group. (Hb) had a mean value of 13.65, 9.475, 9.50 and 11.075 for group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively with a significant difference (P<0.05) recorded in group 2 and 3 when compared to the control. Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 had a mean value of 4.968, 2.965, 1.63 and 1.815 respectively for red blood cell (RBC) with significant difference (P<0.05) across the groups. A mean value of 8.713, 10.453, 3.45 and 13.655 for group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively was recorded for McV with a significant difference (P<0.05) in group all treated group compared to the control. Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 had a mean value of 2.765, 3.450, 5.93 and 5.565 respectively for McH. For McHc, group 1 had a mean value of 0.315 group 2 had 0.305, group 3 had 0.355 and group 4 had 0.483 with a significance difference (P<0.05) recorded for only group 4. In the semen analysis, M1 had mean values of 68.75, 38.75, 28.0 and 27.5 in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively, D1 had 7.5, 11.25, 24.5 and 42.5 in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively, C had 65.0, 52.5, 29.0 and 42.0 in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively while Mp had 7.5, 11.25, 7.5 and 22.5 in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The results indicate that cuprous oxide and petrol both have negative effect on the body and hence care should be taken in the storage and handling of petrol to avoid human exposure, also the concentration of cuprous oxide to be used in antifouling paints should be regulated to avoid harming to aquatic organisms.