Evaluation of the potential immunotoxicity of chlorinated drinking water in mice

• Published in: Toxicology (Amsterdam) Vol. 125; no. 1; pp. 53 - 58
• Main Authors: French, Alexandra S, Copeland, Carey B, Andrews, Debbie L, Wiliams, Wanda C, Riddle, Marie M, W. Luebke, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 16.01.1998; Amsterdam Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - drug effects; Chlorine; Drinking water; Female; Food toxicology; Fresh Water - chemistry; Hyperchlorination; Immunity, Cellular - drug effects; Immunotoxicity; Lymph Nodes - drug effects; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Organ Size - drug effects; Sodium Hypochlorite - toxicity; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - pathology; Thymus Gland - drug effects; Thymus Gland - pathology; Toxicology; Water disinfectants; Water Purification; Hyperchlorination; Drinking water; Water disinfectants; Chlorine; Immunotoxicity; Drinking water treatment; Immunopathology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Chlorination; Mouse; Toxicity; Animal; Rodentia; Disinfection; Immune system
• ISSN: 0300-483X; 1879-3185
• DOI: 10.1016/S0300-483X(97)00163-7

Recent epidemiological studies have reported associations between the consumption of chlorinated drinking water and various types of human cancer; in addition, exposure to chlorine (Cl −) in drinking water has been reported to suppress certain immune functions in laboratory animals. The current studies were conducted to extend our knowledge of the effects of drinking water exposure to Cl −. Female C57BL/6 mice were administered hyperchlorinated drinking water (7.5, 15, or 30 ppm Cl −) for 2 weeks prior to sacrifice for evaluation of spleen and thymus weights, the plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, hemagglutination (HA) titer, and lymphocyte proliferation (LP). Significant reductions in organ weights and immune response were observed in the positive control groups (i.e. dexamethasone- or cyclophosphamide-exposed mice). No consistent differences were observed between the Cl −-exposed animals and vehicle control mice for the evaluated parameters. Thus, under the conditions of these experiments, 2 weeks of exposure to hyperchlorinated drinking water had no apparent adverse effects on immune function.