Male Sperm Genotoxicity Of Environmental Exposure To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons And Phthalates

Objective: Healthy environment is basic for human existence and multiply. Because of the serious environmental pollution in recent decades, the impacts of environmental pollution on human health obtained more attention. Various environment factors may have impacts upon the male normal reproductive and development process. Current studies show that the persistent organic pollutants(POPs) in environment can affect sperm quality. However, studies about the effects of two main POPs: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAHs) and Phthalates(PAEs) on semen quality of normal population are still too less. Present study explored the associations between PAHs, PAEs exposure and sperm DNA damage..Methods: All of participants came from a cohort named as the Male reproductive health in Chongqing College students(MARHCS). Semen and urine samples were obtained frome 639 college students who took part in 2014 MARHCS cohort follow-up survey. Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization(WHO) 2010 guidline. 13 kinds of PAEs metabolites and 8 kinds of PAHs metabolites in urine were detected by liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry(LC-MS). Levels of sperm DNA damage were detected by single cell gel electrophoresis(SCGE)(comet assay); statistical analysis methods were used to detect the correlations between metabolites and DNA damage.Results: The qualification rate of Chongqing college students semen parameters in semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm normal morphology rate were all above 90%, and the qualification rate of progressive motile sperm was also more than 80%; the PAEs and PAHs metabolites were in very low levels; Lgtransformed 2-OHFlu was correlated with comet parameters including Tail DNA%(? =-1.96; 95% CI, 13.87--0.05), Tail length(? =-3.01; 95% CI,-5.63--0.40), and Comet length(? =-3.01; 95% CI,-5.62--0.41); Lg-transformed 2-OHPhe was correlated with comets parameters, including Tail length(? =-3.58; 95% CI,-6.27--0.90), Cometlength(? =-2.87; 95% CI,-5.55--0.92), and Tail Moment(? =-1.68; 95% CI,-3.00--0.36); the detection rate of mono-iso-butyl phthalate(MIBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate(MBP), phthalic acid mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(MEHP), 2- hydroxy naphthalene(2-OHNap) are all at 100%. PAEs metabolites were not correlated with any comet parameters.Conclusion: Chongqing college students have good semen quality; the detection rate of 2-OHNap, MBP, MEHP and MIBP are 100%; sperm DNA damage was negatively correlated with PAHs exposure.