Abstract
Comparative effect of exposure to 20.7 ± 5.8 cm3 h-1kg-1m-3 day-1 of diesel and gasoline vapours on the
kidney functions was assessed in rats. It was observed that exposure to diesel and gasoline vapours
produced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in serum creatinine, urea, BUN, uric acid, glucose and K+; and
a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in serum Na+ and Cl- levels. However, the percentage increase in serum
creatinine, urea, BUN, uric acid, glucose, K+; and decrease in serum Na+ and Cl- levels recorded for the
rats exposed to diesel vapour were significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to the percentages
recorded for rats exposed to gasoline vapour. The result of this study indicates that exposure to diesel
and gasoline vapours may be a risk factor for nephrotoxicity in rats; and that diesel vapour tends to
contain chemical substance(s) that are more nephrotoxic than gasoline vapour.
Key words: Diesel, gasoline, creatinine, urea, electrolytes, nephrotoxicity.
