the simulated aerospace extreme environment model

THE EFFECT OF SALT MINE
MICROCLIMATE ON RATS
HYDROELECTROLYTIC BALANCE
AND REDOX STATE CHANGES
INDUCED BY A SIMULATED
AEROSPACE EXTREME
ENVIRONMENT MODEL
Hoteteu M. 1 , Simionca I. (Ghe.) 1,2 , Rogojan Rodica 1 ,
Dumitrescu Elena 1 ,
1 – National Institute of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Balneoclimatology;
2 – Permanente Commission of Speleotherapy

The aim of study
The study show the role of the salt mine
microclimate in the correction process of
physiological disturbances which appear in
the hydroelectrolytic balance and redox state
of animal organism as follow the action of a
complex aerospace simulated environmental
factors (hipergravity, radiations, hipobaric
hypoxia, high temperature, microbiological
risk and simulated microgravity).

Material and methods
The study was performed on 48 Wistar white
rats divided in experimental and control
group.

THE SIMULATED AEROSPACE
EXTREME ENVIRONMENT MODEL
Radiations Radiations
Microbiologic
icrobiological al risk
Hipergravity
Hipergravit
Hypobaric hypoxia and temperature
temperatur
Microgravity
Microgravit

Hipergravity
Centrifugation +4Gz for 4h

Hypobaric hypoxia and temperature
300 mmHg, +45°C, +45 30 min

Hipogravity, Hipogravity,
cosmic radiations and
microbiological risk
Microgravity Microgravit – 24 h water immersion
Cosmic radiations – gamma radiations 1.5 5 Gy
Microbiological risk – Staphylococcus aureus

Salt mine microclimate
Slanic Prahova “Unirea Unirea” salt mine

Biochemical methods (I)
To study the hydroelectrolytic balance the
rats were keeped for 24h in metabolic cages,
without food and with free access to a saline
solutions. It was measured the volume of
water and the amount of sodium ingested.
The urinary concentrations of sodium and
potassium were assayed using a Ciba
Corning 480 flamephotometer. From the data
obtained it was calculated the electrolytes
ratio which expresses mineralocorticoid
functional level of the organism in
experimental conditions.

Biochemical methods (II)
The blood probes were prelevated
immediately and in a 24 hours interval after
the exposure to experimental conditions.
The catalase and superoxide dismutase
activity was assayed by Beers-Sizer
Beers Sizer and
Kellog-Fridovich Kellog Fridovich spectrophotometric
methods.
method

Results
1. Sodium ingestion and renal elimination
2. Renal elimination of potassium
3. Hydric balance
4. Mineralocorticoid function of adrenals
5. Enzymic activity of blood superoxid
dismutase and catalase

Fig. 1 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the sodium balance in Wistar rats after exposure
to the simulated aerospace environmental factors

Fig. 2 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the renal potassium elimination in Wistar rats
after exposure to the simulated aerospace environmental factors

Fig. 3 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the hydric balance in Wistar rats after exposure
to the simulated aerospace environmental factors

Fig. 4 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” microclimate on
the urinary concentration of electrolytes in Wistar rats after
exposure to the simulated aerospace environmental factors

Fig. 5 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the ratio of urinary electrolytes concentration in
Wistar rats after exposure to the simulated aerospace
environmental factors

Fig. 6 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the blood activity of catalase in Wistar rats after
exposure to the simulated aerospace environmental factors

Fig. 7 The influence of the Salt Mine „Unirea Unirea” Slanic Prahova
microclimate on the blood activity of superoxid dismutase in
Wistar rats after exposure to the simulated aerospace
environmental factors

Conclusion
The saline load of rats using the salt mine
microclimate allowed the correction of dehidration
and negative balance of electrolytes which appear
after the action of the aerospace simulated
environmental factors complex.
The simulated aerospace extreme environment
model, induce the increase of superoxide
dismutase and catalase activity in blood and these
tendencies was increased by the action of the salt
mine microclimate.