Xenoesterogens and male infertility: myth or reality?

Aim: To evaluate the role of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a potentia l environmental hazard in the deterioration of male fertility. Methods: Fif ty - three males were studied. After a thorough case history evaluation and relevant clinical and laboratory investigations, PCBs were estimated in th e seminal plasma of 21 infertile men with "Unexplained Male Factor" and 32 fertile controls. Peak retention times of the eluants were compared with th ose of the commercially available standard PCB Mix, and the results confirm ed spectrophotometrically. Seminal PCB concentrations were compared between i) fertile and infertile men and ii) men from different areas and diets. T he relationship between PCB concentrations and measures of sperm quality su ch as the total motile sperm count, was assessed. Results: PCBs were detect ed in seminal plasma of infertile men but absent from controls. Sperm quant ity and quality were significantly lower in infertile men compared to contr ols. The highest average PCB concentrations were found in fish-eating urban dwellers, and followed in succession by fish-eating rural dwellers, non fi sh-eating urban dwellers and non fish-eating rural dwellers. The total moti le sperm counts were inversely proportional to the PCB concentrations and w ere significantly lower than those of the respective controls. Conclusion: PCBs may be instrumental in the deterioration of sperm quantity and quality , a contaminated fish diet being the main source of exposure.