Sexual Behavioral Deficit and some Reproductive Abnormalities in Male Wistar Rats Exposed to Landfill Leachate

Abstract

Land filling is a common method of managing solid wastes around the world and this method of waste management causes nuisance to the environment through the release of chemical laden landfill gases and leachates that can affect multiple organ systems including the male reproductive system. This study was carried out to investigate the impact of 21 days exposure of Gwagwalada landfill leachate on sexual behaviour, reproductive hormonal imbalance, gonadal and extra-gonadal sperm reserve depletion and histopathology of the testis and epididymis of adult male Wistar rats. Twenty (20) adults male Wistar rats were used and randomly selected into two (2) groups. Group A were fed with normal rat chow and tap water as drinking water ad libitum while Group B were fed with normal rat chow and 10% of Gwagwalada landfill leachate as drinking water ad libitum. Exposure was for 21 days. Results showed that exposure to GLL induced decreased mount frequency and increased mount latency as well as decreased serum concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone. Also, there was marked weight loss of the testis (especially the left) with different morpho-phenotypic pathologies of the testis and epididymis. The present study has demonstrated the detrimental effects of Gwagwalada landfill leachate to adult males.