Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-177
Table AX6-6.2 (cont’d). Lead Exposure and Male Reproduction: Semen Quality
Reference and
Study Location Study Description Pb Measurement Findings, Interpretation
Latin America
Hernandez-Ochoa
et al. (2005)
Region Lagunera,
Mexico
Lerda (1992)
Argentina
Asia
Chowdhury et al.
(1986)
India
68 environmentally-exposed men residing
in Torreón, Gómez Palacio, and Lerdo for
at least 3 yrs.
38 male workers exposed to Pb in a battery
factory and 30 controls.
Ten men occupationally exposed to Pb in a
printing press.
Blood Pb:
Geometric mean 9.3 µg/dL (range 2-24)
Seminal fluid Pb:
Geometric mean 2.02 µg/L (range 1.14-12.4)
Pb in spermatozoa:
Geometric mean 0.047 ng/10 6 cells (range 0.032-
0.245)
Blood Pb:
A (n = 12): mean 86.6 µg/dL (SD 0.6)
B (n = 11): mean 65.9 µg/dL (SD 1.6)
C (n = 15): mean 48.6 µg/dL (SD 4.2)
Controls (n = 30): mean 23.5 µg/dL (SD 1.4)
Blood Pb:
Exposed group:
Mean 42.5 µg/dL
Unexposed group:
Mean 14.8 µg/dL
Decreased sperm concentration, motility, normal
morphology and viability correlated with Pb in
spermatozoa. Reduced semen volume associated
with seminal fluid Pb.
Multiple linear regression indicated that
percentages of progressive motility and
morphology were the most sensitive parameters
to Pb toxicity, which showed the highest
percentages of abnormality among the semen
quality parameters
evaluated.
No associations were found with blood Pb.
Decreased sperm count, decreased percent
motility, and increased percent with abnormal
morphology observed in all three exposure
groups compared to control group.
Decrease in sperm count, percent motility and
increase in number of sperm with abnormal
morphology observed in these semen samples.