Hepatological Effects of Gasoline and Oxygenated Gasoline in Rats

Gasoline is easily inhaled during handling because of high volatility. Legislations were enacted in the United States and other countries to find safer additives and to reduce CO, O₃, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Addition of oxygenates like ether and/or alcohol to gasoline was found to reduce aromatics, volatility and CO emission. Effects of 3 concentrations of gasoline and gasoline oxygenated with1, 2, and 3% of methanol and Isopropyl ether mixture on liver function parameters were studied in rats for three months. Elevated levels of liver function enzymes were observed in gasoline exposed rats than those exposed to oxygenated gasoline. This was reflected in the histopathology of the liver, where there was vascular congestion and occlusion of the sinusoidal spaces in gasoline inhaled rats. There were also diffused parenchylmal inflammatory cell infiltrates, focal necrosis-necrosis of scattered hepatocytes within the hepatic lobule, with influx of acute and chronic inflammatory cell both into lobules and within the portal tracks. These effects were reduced by oxygenation and thus oxygenation of gasoline might be a good alternate fuel.