Attached
Objectives To determ ine the association between
environmental and occupational exposures, semen
parameters and lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) levels in
seminal plasma of men investigated for infertility.
Methods Data were collected from 300 men investigated for
infertility using an interviewer administered questionnaire.
Seminal fluid analysis and classification was done
according to W HO guidelines. Positive exposure was
defined as environmental or occupational exposure to
agro or industrial chemicals, heavy metals and living in
areas within 50m of potential sources of pollution for three
months or more. Seminal plasma lead and cadmium levels
were estimated by graphite furnace atomic absorption
spectrophotometry after digestion with nitric acid. The
means of sperm parameters, Pb and Cd concentrations
betw een exposed and non exposed groups were
compared using t-test.
Results Mean age was 34.8 (95% Cl 34.2-35.4) years
BMI was 24.3 (95% Cl 23.8-24.7) kg/m2 and duration of
the infertility was 45.7 (41.7-49.6) months. In this study,
54.6% were exposed to toxins through environmental or
occupational sources. All sperm parameters were lower in
the exposed group when compared to the non exposed.
Lead and cadmium were detected in 38.3% and 23% of
men respectively. The distance from the source of possible
environmental or occupational exposure was negatively
correlated to seminal plasma Pb (r=0.06, p>0.05) and Cd
(r=0.26, p<0.05) concentrations. In the exposed, mean
lead concentration was 17.7 (95% Cl 15.0-20.4) pg/dl
and 13.5 (95% Cl 11.2-15.7) pg/dl in non exposed and
cadmium concentration in exposed was 1.2 (95% Cl 1.1-
1.4) pg/dl and 1.1 (0.9-1.3) pg/dl in non-exposed.
Conclusions Environmental and occupational exposures
were associated with reduced sperm count motility,
viability, normal forms and detectable levels of lead and
cadmium in seminal plasma.
