Correlation between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seminal plasma and semen quality parameters in firefighters

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM For decades firefighters have used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to extinguish specific types of fires. Some of the AFFF formulations contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). PFASs exposure was reported to induce male reproductive toxicity in toxicological studies. Further current epidemiological studies linked increased exposure to PFASs with lowered testosterone and semen quality. As firefighters are exposed during their service to PFASs to a much greater extent than the general population we aim to evaluate the associations between occupational exposure to PFASs and semen quality and spermatozoa DNA damage. METHODS We developed an analytical method based on solid phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MSMS) to detect selected PFASs in human seminal plasma. Subsequently, concentrations of PFASs in seminal plasma were determined among 23 firefighters recruited from a local fire-training center. The relationship between PFASs concentrations with semen quality parameters and DNA integrity will be addressed by statistical methods. RESULTS We screened in total for 16 PFASs in seminal plasma commonly found in AFFF. The highest detection frequency was observed for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Associations of PFASs concentrations with semen quality parameters, DNA integrity measures will be assessed by logistic or linear regression models with adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS Several PFASs were detected in seminal plasma samples of male firefighters. Further we aim to test the potential effect of the substances on semen quality. KEYWORDS Male infertility, occupational exposure, firefighters, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, spermatozoa