The renal effects of sodium chlorite in the drinking water of C57L/J male mice.

The increasing concern over the possibility of adverse health effects due to the chlorination of drinking water has led to a search for alternative methods of disinfection. One potential alternative is chlorine dioxide which, when used, gives rise to the end product chlorite. This study investigated the potential of chlorite as a nephrotoxic agent when administered for various lengths of time (30, 90, and 180 days) in a series of concentrations (4, 20, and 100 ppm as sodium chlorite) to C57L/J male via drinking water. Examination by light and transmission electron microscopes did not reveal any evidence of renal pathologies. In addition, no evidence of significant mortality, water consumption differences, body weight change differences, kidney weight change differences, or differences in the percent kidney to body weight ratio was observed between the various levels of treatments.