Decrease in Activities of Selected Rat Liver Enzymes following Consumption of Chemical Effluent

The effects of the chemical effluent from Soap and Detergent Industry on some rat liver enzymes were investigated. Chemical analyses of both the effluent and tap water which served as the control were carried out before various concentrations of the effluent (5%v/v, 25%v/v, 50%v/v and 100%v/v) were made. The effluent as collected from source represents 100%v/v. Four groups of five (5) rats each were placed on the four concentrations of the effluent prepared as the only source of water for thirty (30) days. The rats in the fifth group which served as the control were placed on tap water for the same period of time. All the rats were maintained on commercial rat chow for the duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected. The effect of the chemical effluent on rat liver was monitored by conducting standard enzyme assays for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the liver and serum of experimental animals. Relative to the control, significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activity of the liver enzymes and significant (p<0.05) increase in the activity of the serum enzymes studied were observed in all the test rats with the effect most significant in the 100%v/v group of rats. On the whole, chemical effluent from Soaps and Detergent Industry may impair liver function and could pollute any river that serves as a recipient to it.