Semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Swiss albino mice treated with water soluble fractions of spent engine oil

Abstract

Contamination of soil and underlying groundwater with spent engine oil from automobile workshops and garages has serious ecological problems affecting plants and animals. The spermatotoxic potential of spent engine oil (SEO) was investigated using 24 adult male Swiss albino mice having mean weight of 24.67±0.2 g for 30 days. The mice were divided into 4 groups A, B, C, D of six mice each. Group A (control) was treated orally with distilled water, B (100% water soluble fractions (WSF) of spent engine oil), C (10% water soluble fractions (WSF) of spent engine oil) and D (1% water soluble fractions (WSF) of spent engine oil). It was observed that the mean percentage sperm motility, viability and sperm count of the treated groups B, C, and D decreased compared to the control, although the differences were not significant (p>0.05). This same trend was observed for the morphologically abnormal sperm cells of mice in the treated groups compared to the control. It was concluded in this study that treatment with water soluble fractions of spent engine oil for 30 days had no negative effect on the semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Swiss albino mice.