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Abstract

The study evaluated the influence of air polluted by smoke of crude oil contaminated firewood on the liver enzymes and lungs histology. Seven groups of adult female albino wistar rats (five per group) were used. Group one was exposed to ambient air, groups two to four were exposed to smoke generated from non crude oil imparted wood for a period of 10, 30 and 60 minutes respectively while groups five to seven were exposed to smoke generated from the test wood for a period of 10, 30 and 60 minutes respectively. The exposure lasted for 28 days. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic, nickel, zinc and cadmium) were determined in Rhizophora racemosa stem harvested from crude oil polluted environment. Carbon monoxide (CO), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Oxides of Sulfur (SOx), Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Methane (CH4), Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs), Ammonia (NH3) and Particulate Matter (PM) (1, 2.5, 10) were determined in the smoke generated. Alanine transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (ALP) and histopathology of the lungs were evaluated in wistar rat exposed to smoke from this wood. The total PAH level of the test wood was 8.85 mg/kg. The heavy metal concentration was mercury (0.001mg/kg), arsenic (0.274mg/kg), zinc (52.182mg/kg), lead (69.923mg/kg), cadmium (0.596mg/kg), nickel (14.548 mg/kg). The value of air pollutants in this wood smoke were; CO (112.3ppm), SO2 (0.61ppm), VOC (3.5ppm), NH3 (2.63ppm), PM1 (0.11ppm), PM2.5 (0.16ppm), PM10 (0.27ppm). The liver enzyme AST was significantly increased (p≤ 0.05) in groups 6 and 7 while ALP showed significant increase (p≤ 0.05) in group 4 and 7. These results reveals that smoke of firewood from an oil impacted environment have the potential to elicit a more sever toxic effects on the liver and lungs of experimental animals.