Comparative Effects of Dietary Exposure to Petrol, Kerosene, and Diesel on Renal Function and Electrolyte Homeostasis in Wistar Rats

Petroleum products are widely used in Nigeria, but repeated exposure may adversely affect renal function and electrolyte balance. This study compared the effects of dietary exposure to petrol, kerosene, and diesel on renal function and electrolyte homeostasis in Wistar rats. Twenty-eight adult male rats were randomly assigned to four groups of seven animals each. The control group received normal feed, while the exposure groups received feed contaminated with kerosene, petrol, or diesel at a concentration of 10 mL/kg feed for 21 days. Serum creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate were measured at the end of the exposure period using standard laboratory methods. All three petroleum products altered renal biochemical markers and electrolyte concentrations compared with the control group. Petrol exposure produced the highest serum creatinine, sodium, and potassium concentrations, whereas diesel exposure produced the highest serum urea and chloride concentrations. These findings provide comparative experimental evidence that repeated dietary exposure to petroleum products may impair renal function and disrupt electrolyte homeostasis, with petrol showing the greatest nephrotoxic potential under the conditions studied.