Citric acid anhydrous disrupts corticosterone levels in Sprague-Dawley rats

CHED 949

Jamie L. Lasecki, jlasecki@cc.edu, Department of Chemistry, Carroll College, 143 1/2 W. Broadway, Apartment 3, Waukesha, WI 53186 and Monika G. Baldridge, Department of Biology, Carroll College, 100 N. East Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186.
Citric Acid Anhydrous (CAA) is a chemical, commonly used in Paper Mills, that is used as an antioxidant, plasticizer and detergent. Exposure to industrial contaminants is known to induce stress in animals. Specifically, increased stress impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (Issa, 1990 and Helmreich, 2005). The secretion of corticosterone is modulated by the adrenal cortex in response to stress; however, little is known regarding the effects of CAA on corticosterone levels. This study will determine whether exposure to different concentrations of a commercially prepared sample of CAA exerts detrimental effects on corticosterone in the Sprague-Dawley rat. The study will consist of male and female rats that weigh 50–74 grams. Animals will be treated for 10 days with one intraperitoneal injection of a low, medium or high dose of CAA. All rats will be sacrificed on day 18, and trunk blood will be collected and analyzed for corticosterone levels via radioimmunoassay.