Toxicological evaluation of the effect of phenol-contaminated water on the liver of albino rats

Phenol is a constituent of coal tar and is formed during the natural decomposition of organic materials. The effect of phenol-contaminated water on the liver of rats was investigated. Activities of some liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were determined alongside some serum indices of liver function such as serum bilirubin, albumin, globulin and serum enzymes. The total bilirubin of rats treated with phenol-contaminated water was observed to be 8.4 ± 0.8 g/l while that of control rats was 5.6 ± 0.5 g/l. Serum albumin of test rats was found to be 15 ± 2 g/l while that of control rats was 7 ± 3 g/l. Activity of all the enzymes studied reduced significantly in the liver of test rats compared with the control (P < 0.05). However, serum enzymes activity, with the exception of serum aspartate transaminase, of test rats increased significantly (P < 0.05) relative to that of test rats. It is viewed that phenol-contaminated water is hazardous to health as it may be responsible for the leakage of enzymes into the serum and may impair liver function as portrayed by reduced serum globulin and albumin.