Nephrotoxic effects of unleaded petrol in female rats

Female Wistar rats were exposed to 4 g m-3 unleaded petrol for 8 h a day, 5 days a week for 60 days. Urinary beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and lysozyme were used as markers of tubular dysfunction. Urinary excretion of albumin and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were used as indicators of glomerular impairment. There were no statistically significant changes in the GFR or urinary albumin concentrations in the exposed group. Petrol exposure induced an increase of beta 2-m, total proteins, lysozyme and LDH excretion, but only beta 2-m was increased significantly. Our results show that subchronic exposure to high levels of unleaded petrol induced only a mild proximal tubular dysfunction in female rats.