COMBINED EFFECT OF WATER CONTAMINAnON WITH CORALT AND NICKEL ON METABOLISM OF ALBINO (WISTAR) RATS

The contamination of water by metal compounds is a worldwide environmental problem. concentration of metals is widely related to biochemical values, which are used in diseases diagnosis due toenvironmental toxicity. the sub-chronic combined effects of nickel and cobalt on body weight gain and biochemical parameters were determined and compared with those of ni (2+) or co (2+) alone in 6 weeksmale albino (wistar) rats. animals were given drinking solutions of ni504 6h20 [ni (ii) cation, ld50/2] or c0504 6h20 [co (il] cation, ld50/2]. for the combined treatment (ni + co), the rats received both ni (ii) cation (ld 50/2) and co (ii) cation (ld50/2). nickel and cobalt treatmentdecreased body weight gain. the nickel sulphate increased also the glucose level. thc tow heavy elements produced hepatic and renal damage, characterized by increased activity of alanine and aspartatetransaminases (gpt, got) and alkaline phosphatase. however lactate dehydrogenase activity (ldh) wasdecreased. in addition, serum urea. serum creatinine, serum total protein and serum bilurebin concentrations were significantly elevated. in general the combined effect of ni-co was slightly less toxicthan nickel or cobalt alone, suggesting antagonism between these toxicants.