Abstract
It has been hypothesized that exposure to heavy metals may impair male reproduction. To measure the effect produced by low doses of heavy metals on semen parameters, it is necessary to clarify in which body fluids those measurements must be performed. Sixty-one men attending infertility clinics participated in our study. Concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury were measured in whole blood, blood plasma, and seminal plasma using spectroanalytical and electrochemical methods. Semen analyses were performed according to World Health Organization criteria. For statistical analysis, Spearman's rank correlations, mean comparison tests, and discriminant analysis were calculated. Significant correlations between the measured concentrations of the three heavy metals in the same biological fluids were observed. However, no similar relationship was seen when comparing the concentrations in different body fluids of the same metal. According to our results and previous publications, seminal plasma might be the best body fluid for assessing impairment of human semen parameters.
Highlights
Over time there has been a significant decline of human fertility [1]
Mendiola et al showed that cadmium measured in whole blood (0.10 μg/dL) and blood plasma (0.08 μg/dL) did not impaired morphology (>14%), motility (>50%), or sperm concentration (>20 × 106 cells/mL) [15]
The objectives of this study are (1) to examine whether there are correlations between the concentrations of heavy metals in the three body fluids and (2) to explore whether any one of the three measures relates better than the others with the semen quality parameters
Summary
Over time there has been a significant decline of human fertility [1]. Like other European countries, Spain is since 1981 well below the 2.1 children needed to maintain replacement level [2]. Hernandez-Ochoa and colleagues found that low lead concentrations in seminal fluid (0.2 μg/dL) were associated with impaired semen quality, 44% of motility, 32% of normal morphology, and 11 × 106 cell/mL of sperm concentration [14]. Mendiola et al showed that cadmium measured in whole blood (0.10 μg/dL) and blood plasma (0.08 μg/dL) did not impaired morphology (>14%), motility (>50%), or sperm concentration (>20 × 106 cells/mL) [15]. The objectives of this study are (1) to examine whether there are correlations between the concentrations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury) in the three body fluids (whole blood, blood plasma, and seminal plasma) and (2) to explore whether any one of the three measures relates better than the others with the semen quality parameters. C: concentration of the metal, Mr: morphology, Mt: motility, SpC: sperm concentration. ∗Mendiola et al use Kruger’s strict criteria (14% of normal forms) as a cutoff for sperm morphology [25]
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