ADSORPTIVE STRIPPING MEASUREMENTS OF IRON ACCUMULATION IN MICE KIDNEYUSING MICROELECTRODES AND HISTOLOGICAL FEATURES

The toxic effects caused by iron in kidney was performed on experiment al studies with mice following administration of a metallic solution o f this specie to simulate the iron corrosion products of a metallic im plant. To quantify the total levels of iron present in this organ, an electrochemical method was chosen based on the application of square w ave voltammetry using adsorptive collection of iron-catechol on a merc ury film microelectrode (MFM). The optimal working conditions to produ ce a very stable and reproducible iron peak in the digested kidney sam ples were found to be pH=7.2 provided by 8.0 mmol/L PIPES buffer, cate chol concentration of 3.0x10(4) mol/L, deposition potential -1.80 V an d deposition time 20 s. These results were compared with those obtaine d by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) indicating a good performanc e of the electrochemical method used. The analytical results show an i ncrease of iron concentration with treatment time, which indicates tha t this metal ion is partially accumulated in the kidney. This accumula tion induces with time some morphological alterations as evidenced by the histological analysis.