Influence of Sulfate in Drinking Water on Mouse Reproduction during Two Parities

Abstract

Field studies have suggested that high levels of sulfate in drinking water may alter water consumption and have an adverse effect on animal reproduction. This study was conducted to determine whether sulfate in the drinking water affects the reproductive performance of female mice during gestation and lactation over two parities. Sixty random-bred albino mice were randomly assigned to six sulfate treatments. Sodium sulfate was added to deionized distilled water to give sulfate levels in ppm as follows: (1) 0 (control); (2) 0 (Na control); (3) 625; (4) 1,250; (5) 2,500 and (6) 5,000. Treatments 2 to 6 contained the same Na content (2,392 ppm) by varying Na bicarbonate content. Mice receiving only the deionized distilled water drank less (P less than .05) than mice receiving the other treatments at all times measured. Animals offered the 0 (Na control) water drank more (P less than .05) water than mice on the other sulfate treatments. There was no difference (P greater than .10) in litter size, litter weaning weight, or gestational and lactational weight gain of the dam among water treatments. Although levels of sulfate up to 5,000 ppm and 2,392 ppm Na in the drinking water cubicly altered water consumption, they did not affect litter size, litter weaning weight, or gestational and lactational weight gain of the dam when sulfate ingestion was continued over two parities.

Re‐evaluation of sulphuric acid and its sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts (E 513, 514 (i), 514 (ii), 515 (i), 515 (ii), 516 and 517) as food additive

“…Random bred ICR virgin female mice (10 animals per group) were given 0 (control), 0 (sodium control, sodium bicarbonate), 924, 1,848, 3,696 or 7,392 mg/L reagent grade sodium sulphate in water (equivalent to 0, 0, 139, 277, 554 and 1,109 mg/kg bw per day, respectively (Andres and Cline, ). The concentration of sodium was equal in all groups except for the control group (deionised, distilled water; sodium concentration 0 mg/L).…”