Oral administration of potassium bromate, a major water disinfection by-product, induces oxidative stress and impairs the antioxidant power of rat blood.

Potassium bromate (KBrO(3)) is a widely used food additive, a water disinfection by-product and a known nephrotoxic agent. The effect of KBrO(3) on rat blood, especially on the anti-oxidant defense system, was studied in this work. Animals were given a single oral dose of KBrO(3) (100 mg/kg body weight) and sacrificed 12, 24, 48, 96 and 168 h after this treatment. Blood was collected from the animals and separated into plasma and erythrocytes. KBrO(3) administration resulted in increased lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, hydrogen peroxide levels and decreased the reduced glutathione content indicating the induction of oxidative stress in blood. Methemoglobin levels and methemoglobin reductase activity were significantly increased while the total anti-oxidant power was greatly reduced upon KBrO(3) treatment. Nitric oxide levels were enhanced while vitamin C concentration decreased in KBrO(3) treated animals. The activities of major anti-oxidant enzymes were also altered upon KBrO(3) treatment. The maximum changes in all these parameters were 48 h after the administration of KBrO(3) and then recovery took place. These results show for the first time that KBrO(3) induces oxidative stress in blood and impairs the anti-oxidant defense system. Thus impairment in the anti-oxidant power and alterations in the activities of major anti-oxidant enzymes may play an important role in mediating the toxic effects of KBrO(3) in the rat blood. The study of such biochemical events in blood will help elucidate the molecular mechanism of action of KBrO(3) and also for devising methods to overcome its toxic effects.