[Soil dust as a factor which changes the histochemical picture of the rat lung]

White Wistar female rats only once were administered intratracheally a suspension of the soil dust in the physiologic saline. The respirable fraction of the soil dust was used for preparing the suspension of the latter. The experiment was carried out in 2 groups of rats. The animals of the 1st group received the soil dust suspension which was the mixture of the soil samples from 3 different places in Poland, the animals of the 2nd group from 3 other places in Poland. The control animals were once administered the physiologic saline. 9 months after the application of dust, the specimen of the left lung were taken for histochemical examinations. The reactions to the activity of succinic and lactate dehydrogenase, of tetrazole reductase NADP, and of acid phosphatase and ATP-ase were performed. The changes in the activity of the studied respiratory enzymes and the increase of the reaction to the acid phosphatase were observed. The results reveal the disorders of the oxidation-reduction processes and the intensification of the lytic processes in the pulmonary parenchyma of the animals exposed to the action of the soil dust.