Effects of aluminum, copper, and titanium nanoparticles on some blood parameters in Wistar rats

Abstract

In this study, Al 2 O 3 , CuO, and TiO 2nanoparticles (NPs) were individually administered to 60 mature female rats via oralgavage (0, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg b.w. per day) for 14 days and then responses of ATPases in the erythrocytes, total oxidant status (TOS),total antioxidant status (TAS), and liver enzyme (alkaline phosphatase, ALP; alanine transaminase, ALT; aspartate transaminase, AST)levels in the serum were determined. There were sharp decreases in Na,K-ATPase activity in the erythrocytes following NP exposures.All doses of CuO caused significant (P < 0.05) inhibitions in Na,K-ATPase activity (up to 94%), while only higher doses of Al 2 O 3andTiO 2inhibited (76% 80%) the activity of Na,K-ATPase. Oppositely, the activities of Ca-ATPase (up to 274%) and Mg-ATPase (up to290%) increased significantly following TiO 2exposures. TOS levels significantly increased following Al 2 O 3(167%) and CuO (240%)exposures, though TAS levels did not change significantly in any of the exposure groups. The levels of ALP, AST, and ALT increasedfollowing NP administrations. Ti-NP increased the levels of all liver enzymes in the serum (up to 84%), while Al-NP (58%) and Cu- NP (43%) increased only ALP levels. The present study demonstrated evidence of the toxic effects of NPs, as they altered the measuredparameters in the blood, and suggests further research to better understand the environmental fate of NPs.