Effects of chronic exposure to mercury and cadmium alone and in combination on the coagulation system of Sprague-Dawley rats.

Water contamination with heavy metals may adversely affect our health. High metal levels lead to changes in blood coagulation processes, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. Exposure is not limited to a single metal but usually involves a mixture of metals. In this study 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg), alone and in combination, for 28 days at dosages equivalent to 1000 times the World Health Organization water limits. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that both metals caused platelet activation. Cd significantly increased fibrin fibers thickness and caused aggregation and formation of dense matted deposits (DMDs). Hg reduced fibrin network formation. In the combination group, Hg appeared to augment the effect of Cd, and the presence of extensive DMDs or aggregates between the fibers, with no changes to the actual fibrin thickness, was observed.