The study has analysed more than 2,000 chemical compounds in men’s sperm. | Unsplash
In recent decades, there has been a significant decline in the quality of semen among healthy men, correlating with an increase in male infertility rates. The evidence points towards a connection with lifestyle habits and current environmental pollution. Now, in collaboration with the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), IDAEA has developed an innovative method to directly detect organic contaminants in sperm.
Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study involved semen samples from 10 men and revealed the presence of plastic additives such as phthalates or bisphenols. These substances pose potential risks to human health, along with chemical additives added to tires, industrial perfluoroalkylated compounds or surfactants, among others.
This evidence underscores the need for stricter legislation regarding the marketing and use of these compounds. Such measures are essential to safeguard the health of the population.
“Establishing a robust analytical methodology was crucial for us to identify these chemical compounds in complex samples like semen,” explains Pablo Gago-Ferrero, researcher at IDAEA-CSIC and lead author of the study. “While there are limited studies directly examining semen, others connect environmental pollution to infertility by analysing chemical substances in body samples that are more easily accessible, like urine or blood. However, their link to seminal quality is less direct,” he clarifies.
Nota de prensa (ESP)
Nota de premsa (CAT)
Sánchez-Resino E., Marquès M., Gutiérrez-Martín D. et al. 2023. Exploring the occurrence of a broad range of organic contaminants in human semen through an innovative LC-HRMS-based methodology suitable for target and non-target analysis. Environmental Science & Technology , doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04347
The study has analysed more than 2,000 chemical compounds in men’s sperm. | Unsplash
In recent decades, there has been a significant decline in the quality of semen among healthy men, correlating with an increase in male infertility rates. The evidence points towards a connection with lifestyle habits and current environmental pollution. Now, in collaboration with the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), IDAEA has developed an innovative method to directly detect organic contaminants in sperm.
Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study involved semen samples from 10 men and revealed the presence of plastic additives such as phthalates or bisphenols. These substances pose potential risks to human health, along with chemical additives added to tires, industrial perfluoroalkylated compounds or surfactants, among others.
This evidence underscores the need for stricter legislation regarding the marketing and use of these compounds. Such measures are essential to safeguard the health of the population.
“Establishing a robust analytical methodology was crucial for us to identify these chemical compounds in complex samples like semen,” explains Pablo Gago-Ferrero, researcher at IDAEA-CSIC and lead author of the study. “While there are limited studies directly examining semen, others connect environmental pollution to infertility by analysing chemical substances in body samples that are more easily accessible, like urine or blood. However, their link to seminal quality is less direct,” he clarifies.
Nota de prensa (ESP)
Nota de premsa (CAT)
Sánchez-Resino E., Marquès M., Gutiérrez-Martín D. et al. 2023. Exploring the occurrence of a broad range of organic contaminants in human semen through an innovative LC-HRMS-based methodology suitable for target and non-target analysis. Environmental Science & Technology , doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04347
