CHROMIUM ACCUMULATION AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL-CHANGES IN THE MOUSE-LIVER CAUSED BY STAINLESS-STEEL CORROSION PRODUCTS

Stainless steel (SS) corrosion products were obtained by electrochemic al dissolution of SS type AISI 316L. Mice were injected subcutaneously with 0.5 mi of SS solution (containing 283 mu g Re, 69.3 mu g Cr and 57 mu g Ni) each 72 h, for 10 days or 14 days. After the treatment tim e, livers were removed and were analysed for: (a) liver wet weight; (b ) contents in Fe, Cr and Ni; (c) histological and ultrastructural alte rations. Results showed that the percentage of liver weight per animal body weight was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in SS-injected animal s than in the control animals. The atomic absorption spectrometry anal ysis of dry livers showed that chromium, but not iron or nickel, had a significant increase (p < 0.05) in SS-treated mice compared to the co ntrol animals. No histopathological differences between 10 and 14 days of SS-injection could be detected, however, massive hepatic degenerat ion was observed in both groups when compared to the control. These hi stological changes in SS-treated mice were confirmed at the ultrastruc tural level, as hepatocytes exhibited an augmentation of vacuoles in t heir cytoplasm. These actual liver morphological alterations suggest t hat the hepatocyte function may be hampered, which constitutes a matte r of some concern since liver is a blood filtering organ.