The Effect of Blood and Seminal Plasma Heavy Metal and Trace Element Levels on Sperm Quality

Abstract

A AB BS ST TR RA AC CT T O Ob bj je ec ct ti iv ve e: : Infertility is shown in approximately 10-15% of the couples. Male infertility is responsible for at least 50% of them. In these infertile couples, male is responsible alone in 30% while male and female are responsible together in 20%. The semen analysis is the first laboratory test which should be done to evaluate the male infertility. Heavy metals and trace elements affect sperm production, motility and morphology. The aim of this study is to determine zinc, copper, lead and cadmium levels in blood and seminal samples of men and to evaluate their relationship with sperm quality parameters. M Ma at te er ri ia al l a an nd d M Me et th ho od ds s: : Forty-two men with abnormal sperm quality parameters and 10 control subjects were included in the study. Zinc, copper, cadmium and lead levels were measured in blood and semen. The results were compared. R Re es su ul lt ts s: : Lead levels in blood, cadmium levels both in blood and seminal plasma were significantly higher in men with abnormal sperm analyses (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between seminal plasma zinc level and sperm count, motility and morphology (p<0.001) and between seminal plasma copper level and sperm count and morphology (p<0.05). There was a negative correlation between lead level and sperm count, motility and morphology (p<0.001). Likewise, there was a negative correlation between blood cadmium level and sperm motility and morphology (p<0.05) and between seminal plasma cadmium level and sperm motility (p<0.05). C Co on nc cl lu us si io on n: : Zinc and copper affect sperm quality positively whereas lead and cadmium shows a negative effect. Exposure to heavy metals is an important etiology in the male infertility problem and should be treated seriously.K Ke ey y W Wo or rd ds s: : Smoking; metals, heavy; trace elements; infertility, male Ö ÖZ ZE ET T A Am ma aç ç: : İnfertilite, çiftlerin %10-15'inde görülmektedir. En az %50'sinde erkek infertilitesi sorumludur. Bu infertil çiftlerin %30'unda tek başına erkek, %20'sinde de kadın faktörü ile beraber sorumludur. Erkek infertilitesini değerlendirmek için ilk yapılması gereken test semen analizidir. Ağır metaller ve eser elementler sperm üretimini, motilitesini ve morfolojisini etkilemektedir. Bu çalışma erkeklerin kan ve seminal örneklerinde çinko, bakır, kurşun ve kadmiyum düzeylerini saptamak ve sperm parametreleri ile ilişkilerini araştırmak için yapıldı. G Ge er re eç ç v ve e Y Yö ön nt te em ml le er r: : Çalışmaya anormal sperm parametreli kırk iki ve kontrol grubu olarak 10 kişi dahil edildi. Kanda ve semende çinko, bakır, kadmiyum ve kurşun düzeyleri ölçüldü. Anormal sperm parametreli erkeklerin sonuçları normal sperm parametreleri ile karşılaştırıldı. B Bu ul lg gu ul la ar r: : Sperm analizi anormal olan erkeklerde kurşun seviyesi kanda, kadmiyum seviyesi hem kanda hem de seminal plazmada anlamlı olarak yüksekti (p<0,05). Seminal plazma çinko seviyesi ile sperm sayısı, motilitesi ve morfolojisi arasında (p<0,001) ve sem...

Impact of Heavy Metals on Human Male Fertility—An Overview

“…In addition, Cu levels in seminal plasma were positively correlated with sperm count and morphology, while they were negatively correlated with semen volume. Conversely, levels higher than 1.5 μg/L of Cd in whole blood were associated with a significant decrease in sperm count [ 104 ].…”

Analytical Determination of Heavy Metals in Human Seminal Plasma—A Systematic Review

“…Detected Analyte LOD Analytical Tool [19] Cd and Pb n.a FAAS [27] Cd and As As: 0.05 µg/L and Cd: 0.002 µg/L AAS [28] Cu n.a AAS [29] Cd and Zn Zn: 6.6 mg /L FAAS [32] Fe n.a AAS [35] Cd, Zn, and Pb n.a AAS, GFAAS, and FAAS [41] Pb n.a GFAAS [42] Zn and Cu n.a AAS [43] Cd, Zn, Se, Pb, and Cu n.a ETA-AAS [46] Fe and Cd n.a AAS [47] Zn n.a FAAS [48] Zn n.a AAS [49] Pb n.a GFAAS [56] Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mg n.a AAS [57] Cd and Pb Pb: 0. Cd, Se, and Pb n.a AAS [67] Fe, Zn, Se, Cu, Ca, and Mg n.a FAAS [68] Zn, Mn, and Cu n.a AAS [69] Zn n.a AAS [70] Zn and Se Zn: 0.47µg/L and Se: 0.78µg/L AAS and FAAS [71] Zn n.a AAS [72] Cr and Co 0.02 mg/L ETA-AAS [73] As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn As: 2.59, Cd: 0.03, Cu:1.03, Pb: 0.98, Se: 0.02, and Zn: 0.065 µg/L AAS, ETA-AAS, and HGAAS [74] Cd, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cu n.a AAS [75] Cd and Pb n.a FAAS [76] Zn n.a AAS [77] Cd, Pb, and Cr n.a AAS AAS: atomic absorption spectroscopy, ETA-AAS: electrothermal atomization -atomic absorption spectrometry, FAAS: Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, GFAAS: graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, HGAAS: Hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy, n.a: not available.…”

Endocrine Disruptors and Infertility

“…He et al [36] investigated whether oxidative stress is an intermediate mediator in regulating the associations between heavy metal exposure and impaired semen quality. A significant inverse relationship was found between Pb exposure and the percentage of normal sperm morphology [36], and a negative correlation was detected with the sperm count and motility [37]. Lead levels of non-occupational lead exposure in 341 infertile men were investigated by Wu et al [32].…”