ABSTRACT
Globally, respiratory diseases and mortality are still mostly attributed to air pollution and due to Nigeria's epileptic power supply, more electricity is now being generated using other energy sources, such as gasoline generator sets, whose exhaust fume is connected to several diseases, from cancer to metabolic disorders. This study aims to determine the genotoxic and histopathological impacts as well as oxidative stress response to gasoline generator exhaust fume exposure in adult Wistar rats. Fifty adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups consisting of 12 rats each and exposed at time points of 2 hr, 4 hr, and 8 hr daily for a duration of 4, 8, and, 12 weeks respectively. Upon completion of the experiment, rats were euthanized using cervical dislocation and blood samples were obtained via cardiac puncture for genotoxic and biochemical analysis while the visceral organs were processed for histopathological studies. Furthermore, Nitric oxide (NO) was measured using the spectrophotometric method while Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF- α) were all analysed using ELISA. Findings revealed that exposure to gasoline generator exhaust affects the DNA as significant variation across various time points of exposure was observed in the Olive Tail Moment (OTM) of the exposed rats when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Histopathological studies also revealed various cytopathic features such as perivascular infiltration by inflammatory cells, congestion, and vascular hypertrophy as well as bronchiole with mild lymphocyte follicles observed in the lungs of rats across the various time points of exposure. Sinusoidal congestion and cytoplasmic vacuolation were evident in the exposed rats, while the kidneys had poor architecture characterized by congested interstitium, tubular degeneration and mesangial hyperplasia. The testicular histoarchitecture of the exposed rats remained unaltered, however, there was congestion in the cardiac tissues coupled with myocardial inflammation at various exposure periods. The values of proinflammatory markers (IL-6 and TNF-α) were elevated. With a decline in the GPX values and weight of the exposed rats, a substantial increase in the NO and SOD values was observed (p < 0.05). Electricity is the preferred energy source because it significantly promotes urbanization, a higher standard of living, industrial expansion, and economic development. It is recommended that cleaner energy policies and initiatives in energy generation and usage be implemented rather than pursuing thermal plants and heavily relying on fossil fuels because doing so would help to reduce pollutant loadings in the atmosphere and thus improve air quality.
