This case-control study explored the role of environmental toxins in male infertility in patients attending an assisted reproduction clinic in southeastern Spain. Exposures were compared by questionnaire for 30 infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic males (cases) and 31 normozoospermic controls residing in the area. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate differences in lifestyle and chemical occupational exposures. More than two-thirds of the cases (23/30), compared with less than one-third of controls (10/31), had been exposed occupationally to at least one toxin or pollutant (OR = 6.9; 95% CI: 2.2-21.4) and were also more exposed to them currently (OR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.6-17.2). Exposure to glues, solvents or silicones (OR = 22.9; 95% CI: 2.8-190.9), metals (OR = 8.8; 95% CI: 1.4-54.2) and physical agents (OR = 7.3; 95% CI: 1.4-36.7) in the past, as well as current exposure to glues, solvents or silicones (OR = 10.4; 95% CI: 2.6-42.5) and physical agents (OR = 4.7; 95% CI: 1.1-19.2), were significantly higher in cases than in controls. Average duration of exposure was also significantly higher in cases (P < 0.001). This study suggests that male infertility in patients attending infertility clinics may often be the result of occupational exposure.
Human semen quality may be declining due to environmental pollutants, occupational exposures or changes in lifestyle. Nonetheless, we still know little about the impact of those factors on male fertility. Some heavy metals, volatile organic compounds or xenoestrogens may compromise reproductive male function. This process could take place along the human life cycle and not only in certain stages of development. We review the main factors that affect human male fertility and their possible influence in current human reproduction.
Abstract. This paper presents a simple, reliable, economical, safe, accurate and reproducible method for atmospheric aerosol lead determination in glass fiber filters, consisting on an acid digestion procedure and atomic absorption spectrometry quantification. The acid digestion is accelerated by the use of a microwave oven with capped Teflon PFA vessels, and a two steps power and time program. The mixture of 10 mL HNO3 and 1 mL HF was selected between many tries, for both economic and environmental reasons. The use of direct standards for quantification is proposed instead of added standards on filters, using background correction (deuterium lamp). The filter lead content quantification was carried out through blank analyses. Lead determinations were carried out then in 2629 samples of atmospheric aerosol at three sampling points in the city of Cartagena (Spain), from 1990 to 1994. We present the annual average of these values for each year and sampling location.
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