Potassium Dichromate Exposure and Sperm Quality in Rats: A Multi-Generational Study.
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania.
- 2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, El Gomhouria St., El Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of potassium dichromate on sperm quality and testicular histopathology across three generations of male rats. Animals received potassium dichromate in drinking water at 25, 50, or 75 mg/L, while controls received chromium-free water. Exposure was maintained across generations, and sperm quality and testicular histopathology were assessed. Cr(VI) exposure impaired sperm quality in a dose- and generation-dependent manner. The most pronounced effects occurred in the F2 generation at 75 mg/L, where sperm concentration decreased by approximately 31.35%, total motility by 66.79%, and progressive motility by 84.5% compared with controls. Morphological abnormalities increased from 9.86% in F2 controls to 63.43% in F2-E3 animals and involved the head, neck, and tail regions. Histopathological alterations also increased with dose and generation, with the testicular injury score increasing from 0.64 in F2 controls to 3.71 in F2-E3 animals, while the Johnsen score decreased from 9.65 in F2 controls to 6.54 in F2-E3 animals. Testicular lesions included seminiferous epithelium disorganisation, germ and Sertoli cell loss, germ cell detachment, Leydig cell degeneration, and defective spermiation. Overall, the greatest sperm and testicular alterations occurred in F2 animals, indicating cumulative multigenerational reproductive toxicity following Cr(VI) exposure.
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BibTeX
@article{savici2026potassium,
title = {{Potassium Dichromate Exposure and Sperm Quality in Rats: A Multi-Generational Study.}},
author = {Jelena Savici and Simona Marc and Oana-Maria Boldura and Shady Shalaby and Malina Oprescu and Diana Brezovan and Florin Muselin and Violeta Igna},
journal = {Toxics},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/toxics14100870},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931656},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Potassium Dichromate Exposure and Sperm Quality in Rats: A Multi-Generational Study.
AU - Jelena Savici
AU - Simona Marc
AU - Oana-Maria Boldura
AU - Shady Shalaby
AU - Malina Oprescu
AU - Diana Brezovan
AU - Florin Muselin
AU - Violeta Igna
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Toxics
DO - 10.3390/toxics14100870
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931656
AB - This study evaluated the effects of potassium dichromate on sperm quality and testicular histopathology across three generations of male rats. Animals received potassium dichromate in drinking water at 25, 50, or 75 mg/L, while controls received chromium-free water. Exposure was maintained across generations, and sperm quality and testicular histopathology were assessed. Cr(VI) exposure impaired sperm quality in a dose- and generation-dependent manner. The most pronounced effects occurred in the F2 generation at 75 mg/L, where sperm concentration decreased by approximately 31.35%, total motility by 66.79%, and progressive motility by 84.5% compared with controls. Morphological abnormalities increased from 9.86% in F2 controls to 63.43% in F2-E3 animals and involved the head, neck, and tail regions. Histopathological alterations also increased with dose and generation, with the testicular injury score increasing from 0.64 in F2 controls to 3.71 in F2-E3 animals, while the Johnsen score decreased from 9.65 in F2 controls to 6.54 in F2-E3 animals. Testicular lesions included seminiferous epithelium disorganisation, germ and Sertoli cell loss, germ cell detachment, Leydig cell degeneration, and defective spermiation. Overall, the greatest sperm and testicular alterations occurred in F2 animals, indicating cumulative multigenerational reproductive toxicity following Cr(VI) exposure.
SN - 2305-6304
ER -