The presence of environmental pollutants in the semen of farm animals (bull, ram, goat, and boar)

Reprod Toxicol. 2003 Jul-Aug;17(4):439-45. doi: 10.1016/s0890-6238(03)00031-5.

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls are widely used in agriculture and industry, respectively, and may affect male reproduction function. Although several pollutants have been detected in human semen, similar studies in farm animals have not appeared. In the present study, the semen of bulls, rams, goats, and boars was assayed for the organochlorine pesticides hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-isomers), dieldrin, and heptachlor epoxide, for DDT-related chemicals (o,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDT), and for the PCBs congeners (PCB-52, -101, -138, -150, and -180). In all species of farm animals, the most frequently detected pollutants were p,p'-DDE (80-100% of samples), HCB (73.9-100%), and gamma-HCH (69.6-100%). Species differences in the concentrations of HCB, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HCH, dieldrin, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, and PCBs were noted as well as differences in the concentrations of some isomers of HCH, DDT-related chemicals, and PCB congeners in the same species.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / metabolism*
  • Cattle
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis*
  • Goats
  • Insecticides / analysis
  • Insecticides / chemistry
  • Male
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / chemistry
  • Semen
  • Sheep
  • Species Specificity
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Swine

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Insecticides
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls