Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Rats Fed with Heavy Metaled Fish after Exposure to a 47mT Oscillating Magnetic Field
This study investigated the effect of oscillating magnetic field (OSMF) of 47mT on the haematological and biochemical parameters of rats fed with heavy metaled fishes obtained from Alape River and the Atlantic Ocean of Ilaje local government of Ondo state. Thirty rats and two species of fishes, Tilapia and Catfish, were the animals used for this study. The rats were divided into three groups of ten animals each. The first was the control group and were not fed with the fishes neither were they exposed to OSMF, and the other two were the experimental groups. The rats in the second group were fed with a mixture of the powdered form of the Tilapia and Sea catfish for twenty days, there after exposed to oscillating magnetic field for thirty days. The rats in the third group were fed with the powdered form of the fishes but were not exposed to OSMF. The rats in the three groups were sacrificed after the chosen period of exposure and their blood and liver samples were analyzed for hematological and biochemical indices respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in hematologic parameters in the groups. However, there was significant increase (p<0.05) in malondialdehyde levels as well as reduced activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver and serum of rats in experimental groups, when compared to the control group, but alanine aminotransferase activities were unaffected. This suggests that there are additive, injurious effects in the combined exposure of the animals to heavy metals and oscillating magnetic field by hampering their ability to detoxify free radicals.