ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of cement dust on reproductive performance and some physiological parameters in albino rats R. I. Odo & E. C. Mbegbu & K. C. Nwosu & P. E. Aba & L. O. Aka & I. R. Obidike Received: 6 March 2014 /Accepted: 23 April 2014 # Springer-Verlag London 2014 Abstract A total of 30 Albino rats of 12 weeks of age were sourced from Altran Farm in Nsukka and acclimatized for 3 weeks. Five males and five females were exposed to cement dust for 3 months at the Eastern Blocks and Concrete Industries Limited, Nsukka, Nigeria. Ten males and ten fe- males were kept in an environment free from cement dust but within the same climatic zone and were the unexposed. The effect of cement dust was then determined on reproductive performance and some physiological parameters of the rats. The uterus of the exposed females showed significant de- crease (p <0.05) in weight (2.19±0.05) when compared to that of the unexposed females (4.09±0.55). The mean epidid- ymal sperm reserve of the exposed males (12.25±2.17) was significantly reduced (p <0.05) when compared to that of the control group (18.46±0.325). The mean testicular weight of the exposed males (1.03±0.09) was significantly reduced when compared to the control (1.42±0.026). The mean fetal weight and crown rump length of the offsprings from the exposed females (4.07±0.17, 3.12±0.09, respectively) were significantly reduced (p <0.05) when compared to those of the offsprings from the unexposed females (5.64±0.10, 5.36± 0.17, respectively). The mean number of offsprings from exposed males (6.00±0.45) was significantly reduced (p <0.05) when compared to that from unexposed males (9.80±0.37). The hematological evaluation showed signifi- cant reductions (p <0.05) in mean PCV, HB, RBC, and WBC of the exposed rats (27.50±2.20, 8.31±0.61, 3.61± 0.82, 4.70±0.63, respectively) when compared to the unex- posed (43.17±3.52, 14.1±0.72, 7.21±0.45, 8.48±0.86, re- spectively). The results of serum enzyme levels (AST, ALP, and ALT) of the exposed rats (87.12±3.42, 93.87±14.18, 45.06±5.25, respectively) were significantly increased (p <0.05) when compared to the unexposed rats (56.98± 8.38, 24.71±2.11, 25.72±2.96, respectively). Keywords Cement . Hematology . Sperm . Uterus . Offspring Introduction Naturally, there are global balances in the different com- partments of the earth’s ecosystem. However, man and anthropogenic activities have brought imbalances to the earth’ s ecosystem. Cement dust from manufacturing and processing of cement as well as from block industries is a serious atmospheric pollutant. Cement dust has become a major threat to the survival of animals in industrial areas (Gupta and Mishira 1994), and addition of toxic substances to the environment is also responsible for altering the ecosystem (Nigragau and Davidson 1986). Even in the twenty-first century, millions of people are working daily in a dusty environment. They are exposed to different types of health hazards such as fumes, gases, and dust, which are risk factors in developing occupational disease. Cement, block, and concrete industries are involved in the development of structure of this advanced and modern world but generate dust during their production. Cement dust causes lung function impairment; chronic obstructive lung disease; restrictive lung disease; pneumoconiosis; and carcinoma of the lungs, stomach, and colon (Ballal et al. 2004; Meo 2003; Meo et al. 2002; Alakija et al. 1990; Abrons et al. 1988; Maestrelli et al. 1979). Other studies have shown that cement dust may enter into the systemic circulation and thereby reach essentially all the organs of the body and affect the different tissues including the heart, liver, spleen, bone, R. I. Odo (*) : E. C. Mbegbu : K. C. Nwosu : P. E. Aba : L. O. Aka : I. R. Obidike Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria e-mail: rita.odo17@yahoo.com Comp Clin Pathol DOI 10.1007/s00580-014-1934-6