Disturbances of renal excretory function under the combined action of antimony and arsenic in a subchronic experiment

Consumption of water from man-made reservoirs and groundwater contaminated with arsenic and antimony increases the risk of kidney damage.

The aim of the study was to investigate the spectrum of disorders of the excretory function of the kidneys in rats exposed to subthreshold, threshold, and effective doses of antimony and arsenic ingested with drinking water.

Material and methods. Male Wistar rats (n = 125) received water from a man-made reservoir contaminated with antimony and arsenic for 90 days. The excretory function of the kidneys was evaluated on days 40 and 90 using conventional methods.

Results and discussion. The specific effects of the combined action of antimony and arsenic on kidney function were studied, depending on the levels and duration of exposure, and the dose-response relationships were quantified. The predicted changes in kidney function indicators obtained using approximating curves were almost identical to the empirical data.

Conclusions. The combined contamination of man-made reservoirs and groundwater with arsenic and antimony, which have nephrotoxic effects, increases the risk of kidney damage in potentially exposed population groups.

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