Prenatal Effects of Plastic Migrants in Commercial Peritoneal Dialysis Solution

Abstract

Commercial peritoneal dialysis solution (PDS) is widely used in the treatment of uremic patients. This type of PDS is expected to be contaminated with leachable agents originating from the plastic material of the packaging bags. Injection of the solution (280 ml/kg, i.p) into pregnant MF1 mice was applied to investigate the prenatally-induced adverse effects in their progeny due to such plastic leachables. Daily injection started; from Day 0 of gestation and continued up to delivery. The dose was divided into two equal volumes given at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. A group of pregnant mice, of 10 animals, was given the PDS of bags stored at room temperature (25oC). A similar group was given the PDS of bags preheated in a waterbath (50oC) for overnight. A third group was given a prepared control PDS from the same chemicals, stored in glass bottles from the manufacturing companies, according to the concentrations specified on the PDS bag. After weaning (one-month age), the offspring of each group were subjected to a battery of biochemical tests. The results showed that commercial PDS has induced the following significant effects in the offspring: elevation in the activity of blood alkaline phosphatase (ALP), increase in the blood concentration of the nonprotein nitrogenous (NPN) compounds (urea, creatinine and uric acid), and total blood cholesterol. There were also a higher percentage of stillbirths in the progeny of treated mothers. Most of the previous effects were clearly pronounced in the offspring of mothers treated with preheated-bag PDS.It was concluded that the plastic bags of the investigated PDS were leachable, and the chemical agents originating from the plastic material of these bags were toxic to the mice under study. The PDS concentration of these leachables may increase with time and storage of the bags under hot weathers. Based on the results of this study, strict control of storage temperature is recommended to minimize the leachability of these PDS bags and thus lessening the health problems that may arise in patients undergoing long-term peritoneal dialysis.