Urinary trichloroacetic acid levels and semen quality: A hospital-based cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2010.12.010· OSTI ID:22149237

Xie, Shao-Hua ^[1]; Li, Yu-Feng ^[2]; Tan, Yin-Feng ^[1]; Zheng, Dan ^[3]; Liu, Ai-Lin; Xie, Hong ^[1]; others, and

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1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 13 Hangkong Road, 430030 Wuhan (China)
2. Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)
3. The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)

Toxicological studies indicate an association between exposure to disinfection by-products (DBPs) and impaired male reproductive health in animals. However, epidemiological evidence in humans is still limited. We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study to investigate the effect of exposure to DBPs on semen quality in humans. Between May 2008 and July 2008, we recruited 418 male partners in sub-fertile couples seeking infertility medical instruction or assisted reproduction services from the Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China. Major semen parameters analyzed included sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. Exposure to DBPs was estimated by their urinary creatinine-adjusted trichloroacetic (TCAA) concentrations that were measured with the gas chromatography/electron capture detection method. We used linear regression to assess the relationship between exposure to DBPs and semen quality. According to the World Health Organization criteria (<20 million/mL for sperm concentration and <50% motile for sperm motility) and threshold value recommended by Guzick (<9% for sperm morphology), there were 265 men with all parameters at or above the reference values, 33 men below the reference sperm concentration, 151 men below the reference sperm motility, and 6 men below the reference sperm morphology. The mean (median) urinary creatinine-adjusted TCAA concentration was 9.2 (5.1) {mu}g/g creatinine. Linear regression analyses indicated no significant association of sperm concentration, sperm count, and sperm morphology with urinary TCAA levels. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of creatinine-adjusted urinary TCAA concentrations, subjects in the second and third quartiles had a decrease of 5.1% (95% CI: 0.6%, 9.7%) and 4.7% (95% CI: 0.2%, 9.2%) in percent motility, respectively. However, these associations were not significant after adjustment for age, abstinence time, and smoking status. The present study provides suggestive but inconclusive evidence of the relationship between decreased sperm motility and increased urinary TCAA levels. The effect of exposure to DBPs on human male reproductive health in Chinese populations still warrants further investigations. - Research highlights: {yields} No association between DBPs exposure and semen quality was found. {yields} Effects of DBPs exposure on male reproductive health need further investigations. {yields} Intra-individual variability of urinary TCAA should be considered in the future.

• OSTI ID: 22149237
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Journal Name: Environmental Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 111; ISSN ENVRAL; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BUTYL ETHER
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
CREATININE
DBP
DRINKING WATER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HOSPITALS
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SPERMATOZOA
WATER POLLUTION