Nephrotoxicity effects of the wood preservative chromium copper arsenate on mice: Histopathological and quantitative approaches

• Published in: Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 224 - 230
• Main Authors: Matos, Rita Cerejeira, Vieira, Catarina, Morais, Simone, Pereira, Maria de Lourdes, Pedrosa, Júlio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01-01-2009
• Subjects: Acute tubular necrosis; Animals; Arsenates - toxicity; Atomic absorption spectrometry; Body Weight - drug effects; Chromium copper arsenate; Histochemistry; Kidney; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - pathology; Kidney Cortex Necrosis - chemically induced; Male; Mice; Organ Size - drug effects; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Acute tubular necrosis; Chromium copper arsenate; Kidney; Histochemistry; Atomic absorption spectrometry
• ISSN: 0946-672X; 1878-3252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2009.03.008

Chromium copper arsenate (CCA) was used for the protection of wood building materials until the restriction by EPA in 2002.
During a short period of time 14–24
h, a comparative nephrotoxicity study was performed regarding the effects of CCA and its compounds
per se. Histopathological and histochemical features were correlated with the concentration of the total arsenic and chromium in mice kidney.
Animals were subcutaneously injected with CCA (7.2
mg/kg arsenic and 10.2
mg/kg chromium
per body weight), CrO
3 (10.2
mg/kg), As
2O
5 (7.2
mg/kg) and NaCl (0.9%)
per se.
The histopathological examination of the renal sections evidenced acute tubular necrosis in the groups of animals exposed to CCA (in both periods of time).
Although the same contents of pentavalent arsenic and hexavalent chromium were injected in treated animals with CCA and with the prepared solutions of As
2O
5 and CrO
3, the arsenic concentration on kidneys of CCA-exposed animals was much higher than those in animals exposed to As
2O
5 (32- and 28-fold higher at 14 and 24
h, respectively). However, the elimination of chromium seems to occur similarly in the kidneys of animals treated with CCA and CrO
3
per se. Interactions among the components of CCA result in a marked decrease of the ability of kidney to eliminate simultaneously both analytes. The nephrotoxicity of CCA was higher than its components
per se, evidencing a possible synergetic effect.