International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences | May 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 5 Page 1625 International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences Ugwu AC et al. Int J Res Med Sci. 2016 May;4(5):1625-1631 www.msjonline.org pISSN 2320-6071 | eISSN 2320-6012 Research Article Splenotoxic effect of radiographic developer effluent on Wistar rats Anthony C. Ugwu 1 , Uchechukwu Dimkpa 2 *, Obianuju N. Agba 1 , Albert N. Eteudo 3 , Livinus C. Anikeh 2 , Stephen O. Maduka 2 , Roy C. Uchefuna 2 , Nancy N. Njoku-Oji 2 , Onyeka C. Okonkwo 2 INTRODUCTION The impairment of organ function is a direct consequence of alterations in the histological structures of the organ, and this may be dependent on the dose or duration of exposure to toxic substances. 1 Exposure to harmful and toxic substances is known to likely occur through the air, water that we drink, diet, from medications, the environment and workplace. 2 Radiographic developer effluent, an exhausted waste generated during radiographic processing has been reported to contain organic and inorganic substances toxic to the environment (soil, water) and food in cases where they are inappropriately disposed of. 3 Some of the components of developer effluent include hydroquinone, quinione, chlorides, carbonate ion, acetic acid, bromide ion, sulphates, sodium acetate, boric acid, methol and color. 4 The effluents are also often discarded with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and hydrogenic potential (pH), total dissolved solids concentration and turbidity that are over allowed limits. 5 Following their discharge into the environment, these toxic substances may enter into the food chain and ultimately affect both animals and humans adversely. Unfortunately, there is no legislation on the ABSTRACT Background: Histological changes associated with toxicity of radiographic developer effluents on spleen tissues have not been previously studied. The present study therefore aimed at demonstrating the histopathological changes in splenic tissues of Wistar rats following exposure to developer effluent. Methods: Eighteen young Wistar rats weighing 140-220g were used for the study. The animals were divided randomly into three groups of 6 rats each based on the dose of developer effluent administered to them – i.e. control group I (0 dose) and experimental groups II (lower dose, 200 mg/kg) and III (higher dose, 400 mg/kg) respectively. The groups were further classified as either A or B sub-groups of three rats each, depending on the duration (14 or 28 days) of effluent administration. The effluent administration was done by oral gavages. Results: Normal spleen histology was observed in the control group. In contrast, tissue degeneration and necrosis; lymphocytic infiltration as well as reduction of splenic follicles were observed in some of the test groups (IIA, IIB and IIIA). Interestingly, the toxic effects of the developer effluent on group IIIB administered with higher dose for a longer period of 28 days were not as severe as observed in the other test groups. Conclusions: The present study which indicated adverse effects of exposures to sub-lethal doses of developer effluent on Wistar rats‟ spleen tissues suggests the need for proper management and disposal of radiographic effluents. Keywords: Environment, Exposure, Radiography, Histopathology 1 Department of Radiography, 2 Department of Physiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria 3 Department of Anatomy, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria Received: 04 March 2016 Accepted: 07 April 2016 *Correspondence: Dr. Uchechukwu Dimkpa, E-mail: positivedoings@yahoo.com Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20161238