Iranian Journal of Toxicology
Volume:9 Issue: 3, Autumn 2015

Anthropogenic activities release high concentrations of heavy metals into the aquatic ecosystems, which can be absorbed by the aquatic organisms. In this study, the accu-mulation of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) was compared in liver, gill and muscle tissues of toothed carp (Aphanius sophiae) in fresh and salt water. A total of 175 fish samples were collected from the Shoor River, Iran during the spring and summer of 2011. Samples were divided into two groups for salt and freshwater ex-periments. The individuals of each group were also divided into seven groups, a control group and the other six exposed to the concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 mg/L of arsenic and 5, 10 and 20 mg/L of cadmium. The liver, gills and muscle tissues of the specimens were dissected. The tissues were wet digested in acid and the concentrations of metals were measured using an ICP-OES instrument. The concentrations of both metals were significantly different in various organs in both fresh and salt water and it were in order of liver > gill > muscle (P <0.001). Based on t-test results, no significant difference was observed between the concentrations of As in related tis-sues of fish cultivated in fresh and salt water. However, Cd accumulation was significantly higher in the tissues of fish specimens cultivated in freshwater (P <0.001). The bioaccumulation of Cd and As depends on organs, metals, and water condi-tion.

Reprocessing of sewage sludge to agricultural land is preferred to disposal through landfill or incineration due to its potentially beneficial effects on soil fertility from organic matter and plant nutrients, such as N and P, present in the sludge. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of sewage sludge and chemical fertilizers on Pb and Cd accumulation in fenugreek, Trigonella gracum. The experiment was carried out in earthen pots, 30 cm in diameter and 30 cm in depth. The study was done on five groups- control, S1: sewage sludge (50 tone/ha), S2: sew-age sludge (50 tone/ha)+heavy metals [85 ppm of Cd(Cl)2; 840 ppm of Pb(NO3)2], F1: chemi-cal fertilizer (250 kg/ha), and F2: chemical fertilizer (250 kg/ha)+ heavy metals [85 ppm of Cd(Cl)2; 840 ppm of Pb(NO3)2]- in three replicates. The results showed that total Pb concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 2 mg/kg, with the maximum level in the sewage sludge treatment (S2) while Cd concentrations in the plant ranged from 0.07 to 1.1 mg/kg with the maximum content in the chemical fertilizer treatment (F2). The concentrations of Pb and Cd in vegetables were significantly higher than the permis-sible limits. This study highlights the potential risks involved in the cultivation and consump-tion of vegetables on plots irrigated with sewage sludge, a practice which may endanger the health of urban populations that consume these vegetables.

Diazinon is an organophosphorous pesticide which widely found in municipal, agricultural, and urban storm water discharges. The present study was conducted to achieve lethal concentration (LC50) and behavioral changes of Rutilus rutilus caspius and Hypophthal-micthys molitrix after exposure to lethal concentration of diazinon. The experiment was carried out in static conditions, based on instructions of OECD in 4 days under controlled water physicochemical conditions with pH of 7.2±0.2, oxygen of 7±0.3 mg/l, total hardness of 180 mg CaCo3 and temperature of 24±1 C°. All fishes were accli-matized in 400 L aquaria for 10 days. Treated aquaria had concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 ppm of diazinon for H. molitrix, and 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, and 20 for R. rutilus caspi-cus, while there was no toxic concentration for the control group. LC1, LC10, LC30, LC50, LC70, LC90, and LC99 were calculated for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. LC50 96h diazinon values were 3.93 and 1.71 ppm for H. molitrix and R. rutilus caspi-cus, respectively. Clinical observation revealed that the poisoned fishes suffered from nerve paralysis syndrome. The fishes exhibited irregular, erratic, and darting swimming movements, severe aching, and collapse to the bottom of the aquarium. These findings suggest that diazinon has medium toxicity at low concentrations for thede two species and causes morbidities.

Cadmium (Cd) intoxication can cause oxidative stress and involve the antioxi-dant defense system in hepatocytes. Administration of vitamin C, chitosan, or a combination of both may prevent Cd-induced oxidative damage. Cyprinus carpio were distributed into six groups. The control group received normal feed (Group I). Group II was exposed to 0.2 mg.L-1 cadmium chloride. Group III were fed 1000 mg chitosan per 1 kg feed. Group IV was exposed to 0.2 mg.L-1 cadmium chloride and fed with1000 mg chitosan per 1 kg feed while Group V was exposed to 0.2 mg.L-1 cadmium chlo-ride and was fed with 1000 mg vitamin C per 1 kg feed. Group VI, however, was exposed to 0.2 mg.L-1 cadmium chloride and was fed with 1000 mg vitamin C combined with 1000 mg chi-tosanper 1 kg feed. After 21 days of experiment, activities of hepatic enzymes and oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated. Exposure to CdCl2 caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde levels and al-tered alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities in liver tissues. Hepatic antioxidant capacity, catalase, and Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities significantly decreased in fishes exposed to CdCL2 as compared to the control group. Treatment with vitamin C and vitamin C combined with chitosan significantly ameliorated these changes. The present findings suggest that the administration of chitosan failed to restore biochemical parameters to normal levels. However, these findings demonstrate that vitamin C and vitamin C combined with chitosan protect the fish against the toxic effects of CdCl2 on the examined biochemical parameters in liver tissues.

MeICT is the first chlorotoxin-like peptide isolated from the Iranian Scorpion Mesobuthus eupeus. Chlorotoxin (CTX) is a neurotoxin that specially binds to (MMP-2) on ma-lignant cells and now is used in treatment of glioma. In the present study, we have used homology modeling to propose the 3D structure of MeICTand analyze its interaction with MMP-2 and its SNP types. The structure of MeICT was modeled by using homology modeling through the Swiss-Model workspace. Structural evaluation and stereo-chemical analysis of modeled struc-ture of MeICT was performed using ProSA-web Z-scores and Mol Probity Ramachandran plots. Hex Server was used to investigate the interactions between MeICT and catalytic domain of MMP-2 and SNP types. Binding energies calculation and complementarity scores were used for evaluation of protein docking. The comparable Z-scores, Ramachandran plot characteristics and RMSD values confirmed the quality of the homology model of MeICT. About 17 SNP variants in catalytic domain of MMP2 were detected. According to the total and electrostatic energies and the number of interactive residues by hydrogen bond, the structure of MeICT-rs200271857, MeICT-rs144334568, MeICT-rs111590299 and MeICT-rs201083413complexes are more stable. The structure of MeICT is similar to CTX, somight be used as therapeutic agent in glioma. We could find some variants of MMP-2 that can bind to MeICT with more or less af-finity and can affect treatment pathway.

A critical environmental impact of the petroleum industry is the contamination of soil by oil and other related products which are highly toxic and exhibit molecular recalcitrance. Therefore, this study focused on investigating the total amount of petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in soil of urban fuel stations in Hamedan City, Iran. Thirteen high traffic urban fuel stations were selected and random soil samples were collected from surface soils at selected fuel stations. The physical and chemical proper-ties of the soil samples were determined in the laboratory. The concentration of TPHs in soils was determined by GC/MC. Results showed that concentration of TPHs in all stations was more than the stand-ard level in soil (2000 mg kg-1). The minimum and maximum TPHs concentration observed in No. 5 and No.13 fuel station, respectively. The results showed that spillage in urban fuel stations has clear effect on the content of TPH in soil, as concentration TPH in all of fuel stations was in the upper limit of the standard levels in soil.. Soil pollution with petroleum hydrocarbons has clear effects on soil biological, chemical and physical characteristics and results in decreasedg food elements, productivity and soil plant productions.

Sediments are inseparable fractions of wetland ecosystems that work as a his-torical archive in the process of recording heavy metal aggregation changes. This study was carried out for assessing Co, Ni, and Zn in sediment samples of Mighan Wetland using geo-accumulation index in 2013. The sediment samples were taken from 11 stations. The samples were subjected to bulk digestion and chemical partitioning and Co, Ni, and Zn concentrations of the sediments were determined by ICP-OES. Geo-accumulation index (I-geo) was used to evaluate the magnitude of contaminants in the sediment profile. The results showed that Co, Ni, and Zn concentrations in the sediment samples were 10.0±0.65-60.0±3.79, 21.0±1.71-42.0±2.80, and 64.0±6.97-263.0±26.13 µg g-1, respectively. Moreover, according to the I-geo values, the sediments’ qualities fell into the unpolluted category. Although at present, sediments of Mighan Wetland are not polluted with heavy metals, disposal of urban and industrial wastewaters into the wetland as well as the settlement of Iran Mineral Salt Company and the establishment of Arak Refinery in the vicinity of the wet-land, can discharge different pollutants especially heavy metals to the wetland and cause irreparable damages in the long run.

The effects of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem at the doses of 18, 36, and 72 mg/kg body weight on alloxan-induced toxicity was investigated in Wistar rats.

In total, 35 rats of both sexes (132.80±7.22g) were randomized into five groups (A-E): animals in group A received 0.5 ml of distilled water orally on daily basis for 15 days while the alloxanized rats in groups B, C, D and E also received orally 0.5 ml of distilled water and same volume of the extract corresponding to 18, 36, and 72 mg/kg body weight, respectively after which levels of some biomolecules were determined and histological changes evaluated.

Administration of alloxan significantly (P<0.05) increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio, levels of serum total and conjugated bilirubin, uric acid, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl- as well as activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the serum whereas activities of ALP, AST and ALT in the liver and kidney, erythrocytes and leucocytes indices, total protein, globulin and PO42- levels as well as albumin/globulin ratio decreased (P<0.05) significantly. Alloxan also caused severe necrosis of the tubular epithelial cells in the nephrons and degeneration of the hepato-cytes. Although all the doses of the plant extract significantly mitigated these changes, the re-versals at 72 mg/kg body weight of the extract compared well (P>0.05) with their respective non-alloxanized distilled water treated control animals in 78% of the parameters investigated.

Overall, the aqueous extract of F. agrestis stem attenuated the alloxan treatment related biochemical, haematological and histological changes in the rats with the 72 mg/kg body weight achieving total reversal in 18 out of the 23 parameters investigated.

In the present study, histopathological effects of chronic exposure to sodium arsenate in drinkable water were studied on a quantity of organs of rat. Rats were divided into two groups, group I; served as control group, were main-tained on deionized drinkable water for 2 months, and group II; the study group were given 60 g/ml of sodium arsenate in deionized drinkable water for 2 months. Blood and urine samples from two groups of animals were collected under anesthesia and the animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia (a-chloralose, 100 mg/kg, I.P). Their kidney, liver, aorta, and heart were dissected out and cleaned of surrounding connective tissue. The organs were kept in formaldehyde (10%) for histopathologic examination. Serum and urine samples from two groups were collected and analyzed for arsenic level. Total quantity of arsenic in serum and urine of animal was measured through graphic furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Examination with light microscopy did not show any visible structural changes in the aorta, myocardium, and liver of chronic arsenic treated animals.However, a significant effect was observed in the kidneys of chronic arsenic treated rats showing distinct changes in proxi-mal tubular cells. There was high concentration of arsenic in serum and urine of arsenic ex-posed animals (group II) significantly (P<0.001). Swollen tubular cells in histopathologic study of kidney may suggest toxic effects of arsenic in the body.

Medication errors due to different reasons may alter the outcome of all patients, especially patients with drug poisoning. We introduce one of the most common type of medication error in the present article. Case: A 48 year old woman with suspected organophosphate poisoning was died due to lethal medication error. Unfortunately these types of errors are not rare and had some preventable reasons included lack of suitable and enough training and practicing of medical students and some failures in medical students’ educational curriculum. Hereby some important reasons are discussed because sometimes they are tre-mendous. We found that most of them are easily preventable. If someone be aware about the method of use, complications, dosage and contraindication of drugs, we can minimize most of these fatal errors.