ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Semen Quality and Lead Concentrations
of Men in an Electronic Waste Environmental
Pollution Site
Yan Li, Mingcai Li, Mengyang Li, Yiyong Chen, Rong Lin
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Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical School of Ningbo University,
Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2013;22(2):431-435
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The aim in this study was to assess relationships between men exposure to lead and semen-quality parameters
in an environmental pollution site. We recruited 95 men through the pollution area and two controls.
We measured semen quality using computer-aided semen quality analysis, and lead levels in seminal plasma
using graphite gurnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the semen quality of men from
the pollution area was lower than those of other control districts. The mean of seminal plasma lead value in
the pollution area were higher than reference values for controls. Seminal plasma lead values displayed a significant
negative correlation with norm morph sperm rates. Male reproductive health may be threatened by
environmental pollution, and it may be influenced by local population diathesis.