Suchergebnisse

An accurate and easy method for the extraction, cleanup, and HRGC-HRMS analysis of dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) in low-volume serum samples (1 mL) was developed. Serum samples were extracted several times using n-hexane and purified by acid washing. Recovery rates of labeled congeners ranged from 70 to 110 % and the limits of detection were below 1 pg/g on lipid basis. Although human studies are limited and contradictory, several studies have shown that DL-PCBs can have adverse effects on the male reproductive system. In this way, the present method was applied to 21 serum samples of male patients attending fertility clinics. The total levels obtained for the patients ranged from 6.90 to 84.1 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid, with a mean value of 20.3 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid. The predominant PCBs (the sum of PCB 118, 156, and 105) contributed 67 % to the mean concentration of total DL-PCBs in the samples analyzed. ; Support for this work was provided by the CTQ2013-41006-R project from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain), the PROMETEOII/2014/007 project from the Valencian Community Government (Spain), and the Chair of Human Fertility of the University of Alicante (Spain).

The relationship between dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (DL˗PCB) levels in serum and semen parameters were investigated. Our case-control included two groups of patients. Total concentrations of PCBs were significantly higher in the low semen quality (n = 24) than in the normal semen quality (n = 26) group. A significant negative correlation was found between PCB 126 and viability in men with low semen quality, while PCBs 77 and 81 were positively correlated with morphology, and PCB 118, mono-ortho and total DL-PCBs were positively correlated with volume. In the normal semen quality group, PCB 189 and 118 were negatively correlated with sperm motility and volume, respectively. In addition, positive significant correlations were found between PCB 77, 23 and total non-ortho PCBs with regard to morphology. Our findings suggest that sperm motility, viability, volume and morphology are parameters sensitive to alteration by exposure to DL-PCBs, although PCB effects on spermatogenesis were not of clinical significance. ; This study was supported by Cátedra Human Fertility from the University of Alicante, CTQ2013-41006-R grant from the Ministerio Economía y Competitividad, and PROMETEOII/2014/007 grant from the Valencian Community Government (Spain).

Several studies indicate that human semen quality and fertility have declined over the last decades. According to the estimation of World Health Organization about 8% of couples at the global level experience some forms of infertility problem during their reproductive lives. This percentage means that 50 to 80 million people have problems with fertility. Several lifestyle-related (obesity, smoking) and environmental (exposure to traffic exhaust fumes, dioxins, combustion products) factors appear to negatively affect human fertility, emphasizing the importance of environmental/lifestyle impacts throughout the life course. ; Support for this work was provided by: Ministry of Education and Science (Spain) (CTQ2008-05520 project); Valencian Community Government (Spain) (PROMETEO/2009/043/FEDER and ACOMP2011/224 projects); Chair Human Fertility of University of Alicante.