부산대학교 도서관

The geographic areas with high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (of unknown etiology (CKDu) are well correlated with the areas of high concentrations of both fluoride and hardness in drinking water. The present study employed environmental water samples to evaluate the effect of water fluoride and hardness on nephrotoxicity. A total of 28 Wistar albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided into four groups, each with seven rats (n=7). The control group (C), received deionized water, while the Test P, Test G, and Test A rat groups received drinking well water collected from areas of Padaviya, Galnewa, and Agunukolapelessa divisional secretariats of Sri Lanka, respectively. Daily water consumption and body weight were recorded. Simultaneously, serum and urine creatinine and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were also measured. Histopathological examinations were done using kidney tissues. Water quality measurements revealed that the fluoride and hardness concentrations in water collected from Padaviya (1.910 mg/L and 280 mg/L, respectively) and fluoride concentration in water collected from Galnewa (1.530 mg/L) exceeded the Sri Lankan Standard Institution (SLSI) drinking water standards (1.0 mg/L and 250 mg/L, respectively) while the concentrations in the water collected from Agunukolapelessa (0.281 mg/L and 92 mg/L, respectively) were found to be within the SLSI standards.The other water quality parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature, N-NO3, N-NO2, N-NH3, and total phosphorous) remained within the SLSI standards. The daily water consumption and changes in body weight between tests and controls were not significantly different (p>0.05). Serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in test groups G and P than in the control group, and urine creatinine concentrations were significantly low in test groups P and G (p<0.05). In test group P, KIM-1 was expressed. Histology revealed lesions in kidney tubules in test groups P and G. Changes in biochemistry and histopathology in test groups P and G suggest that there may be a nephrotoxic effect of fluoride and hardness triggered to CKDu in Sri Lanka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]