Effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals bisphenol A and triclosan on semen quality

Abstract

Aim. To establish a relationship between the concentration of endocrine disruptors (bisphenol A, triclosan) in testicular tissues or seminal fluid and semen quality in men and experimental animals.
 Methods. 53 samples of seminal fluid were investigated from men with normo- and pathozoospermia. In seminal fluid the level of bisphenol A and triclosan were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The spermiological study was carried out according to the World Health Organization guidelines (2010). The experimental part of the study was performed on adult male lab Wistar rats (n=28). The amount of spermatozoa per 1 ml of sperm was determined with the calculation of their motility and atypical forms. The concentration of bisphenol A and triclosan in the testicles was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
 Results. Bisphenol A and triclosan were detected in 100 and 84.9% of the ejaculate samples with a median concentration of 0.15 (0.06–0.31) ng/ml and 0.13 (0.05–0.22) ng/ml, respectively. With the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, statistically significant correlation was found between the concentration of endocrine disruptors and ejaculate parameters: between bisphenol A and the total count of spermatozoa, their concentration, the proportion of progressively motile spermatozoa, the proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology and degree of sperm DNA fragmentation. Triclosan concentration correlated with the proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology and the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation. The experimental part of the study demonstrated that bisphenol A reduced the total number of spermatozoa with an increase in the proportion of atypical forms of spermatozoa and a violation of the proportion of fertile spermatozoa compared to the group of intact animals. Triclosan reduced the proportion of progressively motile spermatozoa.
 Conclusion. Bisphenol A and triclosan have a negative effect on sperm quality in men and experimental animals.