Assessment of cardiac histology and hematological parameters in adult male wistar rats exposed to exhaust emissions from gasoline generators

Abstract

Background and Aim: In Nigeria, the lack of a reliable supply of electric power has necessitated the use of gasoline-powered generators to generate electricity. This study investigated the effect of gasoline generator exhaust exposure on the haematological parameters and cardiac histoarchitecture of adult wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Adult male wistar rats subdivided into four groups were exposed to exhaust emissions at time points of 2, 4, and 8 hours for 4, 8, and 12 weeks, respectively. The rats in Group I were the unexposed control rats, while Groups II-IV were the test groups exposed at time points of 2, 4, and 8 hours over a period of 4, 8, and 12 weeks, with haematological and cardiac histopathology performed at the end of the experiment. Results: The results showed that exposed rats had elevated white and red blood cell counts compared to the control, while platelet counts were significantly lower (p-value <0.05), with cardiac histology revealing degenerative myocardial lesions such as inflammatory responses, hemorrhagic intermyocytic spaces, vascular congestion, and fibrosis at various exposure time points. Conclusion: Exposure to gasoline generator exhaust emissions adversely impacts the cardiac tissues, with the most pronounced deleterious effect observed at 12 weeks.