Comparison of neurobehavioral and biochemical effects in rats exposed to dusts from copper smelter plant at different locations

Mixed exposure to metals (including arsenic and lead) associated with the neurological and respiratory effects constitute one of the major health problems of copper smelting. Chemical composition of the dust, and the expected health effect of inhalation can be very diverse at different parts of the smelter plant. The aims of this study were to compare lung responses and behavioral effects in female Wistar rats after instillation of dust collected from different production processes at the same smelter department. Dusts collected at two different locations of furnace hall were sifted through 25-μm-mesh sieve. Obtained dust fractions, P-25(I) collected near stove, rich in heavy metals and arsenic, and P-25(II) collected near anode residue storage site, rich in aluminium, were instilled to rats. At 1, 7 and 30 days after dusts instillation, lung injury and inflammation were measured by analyzing sings of lung permeability in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), cell differentiation in BALF sediment and l...