Semen quality and lead concentrations of men in an electronic waste environmental pollution site

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.