Oxidative stress induced by co-exposition to lead and cadmium, two contaminants of the ground water of Nil wadi (Jijel-Algeria)
Physico-chemical analyses of water collected in the Nile wadi catchment in the city of Jigel, Algeria, revealed concentrations of cadmium and lead that far exceeded drinking water standards. To study the effects of the highest detected concentration on oxidative stress biomarkers, drinking water containing a mixture of lead and cadmium at the concentrations detected in the field (and at concentrations 10x and 100x higher) was given to four groups of adult male rats over a period of four weeks. The toxicological evaluation showed a biochemical response characterized by a highly significant increase in the cytosolic and mitochondrial concentrations of superoxide dismutase, a very significant decrease in cytosolic and mitochondrial catalase, a highly significant decrease in the levels of cytosolic reduced glutathion (reflecting a deterioration of non-enzymatic mechanisms of defence against oxidative stress), and a significant increase in cytosolic and mitochondrial concentrations of malondialdehyde (suggesting a severe attack on the biological membranes of the mitochondria and other organelles).