Effect of Benzene Exposure on Fertility of Male Workers Employed in Bulk Drug Industries

Abstract

Industrial workers are constantly exposed to benzene, especially at the production unit. The present investigation explores any association of the outcome of various reproductive malfunctions in terms of infertility and other related factors as a result of benzene exposure. Blood and semen samples were collected from total 160 industrial workers exposed to benzene and 200 nonoccupationally exposed control subjects. We investigated macroscopic and microscopic semen parameters in the present study population. Body fluid benzene analysis was done by Head Space chromatography. The sperm DNA integrity was determined by modified alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis or the comet assay method. No significant changes were observed in macroscopic semen parameters. A duration-dependent decrement in total sperm count and the percentage of motility was observed among the benzene-exposed industrial workers (p<0.05). A duration-dependent increment of abnormal sperm morphology was observed among the benzene-exposed industrial workers (p<0.01). A significant increase in comet tail length was observed in the exposed groups (p<0.01) in comparison to the controls. In regression analysis, the data were observed to be significant at the level of p<0.05 for Group II industrial workers (t=2.301). Sperm integrity is considered one of the major factors in male infertility. The sperm DNA damage is an important step from spermatogenesis to malfunctions such as infertility; therefore, the present study represents an important evaluation for correctly diagnosing the problem, precisely from the level of DNA itself.