Reduction of Rat Pleural Microvilli Caused by Noise Pollution

• Author(s): Maria João R. Oliveira ; António S. Pereira ; Paula G. Ferreira ; Nuno R. Grande ; Artur P. Águas ; Laura Guimarães ; Diamantino Freitas ; A Carvalho
• Date: 2003
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10216/6656
• Origin: Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto
• Subject(s): Ciências da Saúde; Ciências médicas; Medicina; Anatomia humana; Sistema respiratório, Ciências Naturais; Ciência ambiental; Gestão dos recursos naturais; Protecção ambiental; Emissão de ruido, Ciências Naturais; Ciência ambiental; Gestão dos recursos naturais; Protecção ambiental; Riscos industriais
• Document Type: Article
• Language: Portuguese

Description

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate whether chronic exposure to noise modifies pleural morphology. Rats were submitted to 8-h/day schedule of noise that is similar to the working hours at cotton-mill rooms. Morphometry of the area occupied by microvilli on the pleural surface showed a decrease in microvilli after 3 months of rat exposure to noise. The reduction of microvilli was 10% after 3 months of noise exposure (reaching 20% after 7 months of noise treatment) and is consistent with pleural effusions found in some of the patients working in noise-poluted environments.