Objective: To investigate the effects and changes of Hg, I, Mn and Sr in peripheral blood (whole blood, plasma, erythrocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rats by inhalation exposure.
Method: 32 SD rats were divided randomly into 4 groups including one control group and three intervention groups. Each rat in three intervention groups was exposed respectively to three different doses of mixed elements (Hg, I, Mn, Sr) solution by intratracheal instillation for 10 days. The whole blood of all rats were collected from arteria femoralis and separated into three parts by Percoll. The concentrations of 4 trace elements (Hg, I, Mn, Sr) in whole blood, plasma, erythrocytes and PBMCs were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Result: With the increasing of exposure doses, concentrations of 4 elements in whole blood and plasma tended to increase. No significant differences of Mn and Sr were found in erythrocytes (P > 0.05), while concentrations of I and Hg tended to increase with the increasing of exposure doses. No significant differences of Mn and I in PBMCs (P > 0.05) were found in the 4 groups, while concentration of Hg tended to increase with the increasing of exposure dose.
Conclusion: The elements concentrations in whole blood and plasma can reflect the influence of inhalation exposure, while the concentrations of some elements in erythrocytes and PBMCs are barely influenced by inhalation exposure doses.