Ambient sulfur dioxide could have an impact on testicular volume from a observational study on a population of infertile male

Abstract

Background The effect of ambient pollutants on the male reproductive system is controversial. This retrospective study investigated the effect of environmental pollutants on male reproductive health. Methods Male patients with primary infertility (n = 282) were identified from a single center between January 2016 and December 2017. Patients were physically examined for the presence of varicocele and for the volume of both testicles. Semen quality was measured in terms of the total sperm count, sperm concentration, and the percentage of sperm cells with motility and normal morphology. Data were acquired on the concentration of ambient pollutants, namely particulate matters of diameter < 2.5 μm, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and ozone (O3), measured on daily and hourly basis, from the Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, Taiwan. Individual exposure to pollutants was estimated based on the reported residential address of each participant. Statistical analysis indicated the effect of each pollutant on the testicular volume, sex hormone profile, and semen parameters. Results The mean ± standard deviation of age was 36.7 ± 7.3 years. The average sperm count and concentration were 41.9 million/mL and 34.1 million/mL, respectively. The mean levels of serum testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were 3.57 ± 1.68 ng/mL, 7.59 ± 6.3 IU/L, and 4.68 ± 3.49 IU/L, respectively. According to the multivariate linear regression model, NOx exposure was a risk factor for decreased sperm concentration and motility (p = 0.043 and 0.032). Furthermore, SO2 exposure was negatively associated and testicular volume (p < 0.01). Conclusions NO2 and SO2 exposure were negatively associated with the seminal parameter and decreased testicular volume, respectively, in a population of men with infertility. However, additional prospective studies are needed to ascertain the cause–effect relation of current results.

The Effect of Urban Air Pollution from Traffic on Semen Quality

“…Boggia et al [5], found a significantly lower percentage of motile sperm in workers exposed to traffic pollutants. Based on residential air pollution data, Chen et al [6], found that NOx exposure is a risk factor for reduced sperm concentration and motility. The adverse effect of NO2 exposure on total sperm count, concentration and normal sperm morphology was also described by Santi et al [17].…”

“…Numerous studies have shown that NO2 can also significantly impair central nervous system (CNS) function, including neurobehavioural development, in children [2,3]. Furthermore, multiple authors have confirmed the detrimental effects of NO2 exposure on sperm quality [4][5][6][7]. However, these results are still controversial because some authors failed to demonstrate an association between NO2 and sperm quality [8,9].…”

Incense smoke inhalation affects spermatogenesis and sperm quality and impairs liver and kidney function in adult male rats

“…Oxidative stress and apoptosis are involved in mediating NO-induced infertility (Wu et al, 2022). Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulfur dioxide (SO2) induced the expression of oxidative-stress-related genes and were negatively associated with sperm quality in a population of men with infertility (Chen et al, 2020). Both NO2 and SO2 concentrations emitted from incense burning were found to surpass the standards stated by US National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (Jetter et al, 2002).…”

Air pollution prevention in Stara Zagora Municipality

“…Chinese scientists believe that particulate matter is considered a major pollutant, but nitrogen dioxide and ozone have recently shown a dominant trend [18]. In addition, exposure to NO 2 and SO 2 affect testicular function in men and lead to infertility in both sexes [19][20][21]. A significant association has been found between NO 2 , PM 2.5 , and SO 2 levels and hospital visits in children with respiratory diseases in China [22].…”