potassium dichromate (cr vi) impact on fundamental biomarkers of reproductive functionality in female rats (six months exposure)

The study carried out on 28 white Wistar adult female rats, divided in four groups: one control and three experimental, exposed in drinking water for six months to 25 ppm Cr VI – LOAEL (E1), 50 ppm Cr VI - 2XLOAEL (E2), 75 ppm CR VI - 3XLOAEL (E3), pointed out: significant (p<0.01) increase of sexual cycle duration comparative to control group and over the physiological limits, in direct correlation to exposure level; modification of sexual stages regularity: significant decrease of sexual cycles percentage with proestrus, estrus and diestrus in physiological limits as duration comparative to control group and inversely correlated to exposure level; appearance of sexual cycles with absent proestrus and estrus directly correlated to exposure level and of prolonged diestrus, directly, significantly (p<0.01) correlated to exposure level.