IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2022i1p235-d1013100.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Case–Control Study on the Effects of Plasticizers Exposure on Male Fertility

Author

Listed:
  • Lidia Caporossi

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

  • Paola Viganò

    (Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy)

  • Enrico Paci

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

  • Silvia Capanna

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

  • Alessandra Alteri

    (Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy)

  • Daniela Pigini

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

  • Giovanna Tranfo

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

  • Bruno Papaleo

    (National Institute of Insurance against Accidents at Work-Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy)

Abstract

Male infertility is a serious concern for public health, and the possible role of exposure to plasticizers such as phthalates and bisphenol A in contributing to the condition is widely debated. We have herein enrolled 155 infertility cases attending an infertility center and 211 controls (fathers of a spontaneously conceived newborn) to investigate this issue. The urinary levels of seven phthalates and BPA were analyzed through HPLC/MS/MS. All data were statistically elaborated considering information about clinical situation, life habits, occupational activity, and, for cases, semen parameters (volume, sperm concentration, total count of spermatozoa, and sperm motility). Results showed significantly higher urinary concentrations for all the phthalates in cases compared to controls, except for monoethylphthalate and BPA. In total, 90.07% of cases had sperm motility lower than the WHO reference value (2010), while 53.69%, 46.31%, and 16.56% had sperm total number, concentration, and volume, respectively, out of the reference range. Regarding the possible source of exposure, the use of scents seems to be a significant source of DEP (diethylphthalate). When considering occupational settings, industrial workers, dental technicians, artisans, and farmers using chemicals showed higher risk (OR = 2.766, 95% CI 1.236–6.185), particularly in relation to DnBP (di- n -butyl phthalate) and DEHP (di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate) exposure. No clear quantitative correlation between specific plasticizers and sperm parameters could be demonstrated but these findings call for future studies about the risks associated with exposure to their mixture.

Suggested Citation

  • Lidia Caporossi & Paola Viganò & Enrico Paci & Silvia Capanna & Alessandra Alteri & Daniela Pigini & Giovanna Tranfo & Bruno Papaleo, 2022. "A Case–Control Study on the Effects of Plasticizers Exposure on Male Fertility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:235-:d:1013100
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/235/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/235/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaona Huo & Dan Chen & Yonghua He & Wenting Zhu & Wei Zhou & Jun Zhang, 2015. "Bisphenol-A and Female Infertility: A Possible Role of Gene-Environment Interactions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Henrieta Hlisníková & Ida Petrovičová & Branislav Kolena & Miroslava Šidlovská & Alexander Sirotkin, 2020. "Effects and Mechanisms of Phthalates’ Action on Reproductive Processes and Reproductive Health: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-37, September.
    3. Maohua Miao & Wei Yuan & Fen Yang & Hong Liang & Zhijun Zhou & Runsheng Li & Ersheng Gao & De-Kun Li, 2015. "Associations between Bisphenol A Exposure and Reproductive Hormones among Female Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-11, October.
    4. Lidia Caporossi & Alessandra Alteri & Giovanni Campo & Enrico Paci & Giovanna Tranfo & Silvia Capanna & Enrico Papaleo & Daniela Pigini & Paola Viganò & Bruno Papaleo, 2020. "Cross Sectional Study on Exposure to BPA and Phthalates and Semen Parameters in Men Attending a Fertility Center," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Annette M. Krais & Christina Andersen & Axel C. Eriksson & Eskil Johnsson & Jörn Nielsen & Joakim Pagels & Anders Gudmundsson & Christian H. Lindh & Aneta Wierzbicka, 2018. "Excretion of Urinary Metabolites of the Phthalate Esters DEP and DEHP in 16 Volunteers after Inhalation and Dermal Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ilaria Di Napoli & Sara Tagliaferri & Eduardo Sommella & Emanuela Salviati & Debora Porri & Benedetta Raspini & Hellas Cena & Pietro Campiglia & Cinzia La Rocca & Rosa Maria Cerbo & Rachele De Giusepp, 2021. "Lifestyle Habits and Exposure to BPA and Phthalates in Women of Childbearing Age from Northern Italy: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Shuman Sheng & Wei Liu & Yafei Xue & Zhengwu Pan & Lanlan Zhao & Fei Wang & Xiaoyi Qi, 2022. "Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Promotes the Development of Endometrial Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    3. Ya-Ling Shih & Chia-Jung Hsieh & Tso-Ying Lee & Pei-Hung Liao & Hao-Ting Wu & Chieh-Yu Liu, 2022. "Sex Differences between Urinary Phthalate Metabolites and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Taiwan Biobank Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Xiuxia Song & Maohua Miao & Xiaoyu Zhou & Dekun Li & Youping Tian & Hong Liang & Runsheng Li & Wei Yuan, 2019. "Bisphenol A Exposure and Sperm ACHE Hydroxymethylation in Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, January.
    5. Francesca Nappi & Luigi Barrea & Carolina Di Somma & Maria Cristina Savanelli & Giovanna Muscogiuri & Francesco Orio & Silvia Savastano, 2016. "Endocrine Aspects of Environmental “Obesogen” Pollutants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Lidia Caporossi & Bruno Papaleo, 2017. "Bisphenol A and Metabolic Diseases: Challenges for Occupational Medicine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Mariana Segovia-Mendoza & Margarita Isabel Palacios-Arreola & Lenin Pavón & Luis Enrique Becerril & Karen Elizabeth Nava-Castro & Omar Amador-Muñoz & Jorge Morales-Montor, 2022. "Environmental Pollution to Blame for Depressive Disorder?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-13, February.
    8. Thea Emily Benson & Anne Gaml-Sørensen & Andreas Ernst & Nis Brix & Karin Sørig Hougaard & Katia Keglberg Hærvig & Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde & Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg & Christian H. Lindh & Cecilia, 2021. "Urinary Bisphenol A, F and S Levels and Semen Quality in Young Adult Danish Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    9. Angela Giuliani & Mariachiara Zuccarini & Angelo Cichelli & Haroon Khan & Marcella Reale, 2020. "Critical Review on the Presence of Phthalates in Food and Evidence of Their Biological Impact," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-43, August.
    10. Tingting Ma & Wei Zhou & Like Chen & Peter Christie & Yongming Luo & Peng Wu, 2019. "Phthalate Ester Contamination in Intensively Managed Greenhouse Facilities and the Assessment of Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risk: A Regional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-20, August.
    11. Stefania D'Angelo & Rosaria Meccariello, 2021. "Microplastics: A Threat for Male Fertility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-11, March.
    12. Ana M. Molina-López & Francisca Bujalance-Reyes & María Teresa Urbano & Antonio Lora-Benítez & Nahúm Ayala-Soldado & Rosario Moyano-Salvago, 2022. "Analysis of Blood Biochemistry and Pituitary-Gonadal Histology after Chronic Exposure to Bisphenol-A of Mice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-20, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:235-:d:1013100. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.