Comparison between Macro and Trace Element Concentrations in Human Semen and Blood Serum in Highly Polluted Areas in Italy

Aldo Di Nunzio, Antonella Giarra, Maria Toscanesi, Angela Amoresano, Marina Piscopo, Elisabetta Ceretti, Claudia Zani, Stefano Lorenzetti, Marco Trifuoggi () and Luigi Montano ()
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Aldo Di Nunzio: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
Antonella Giarra: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
Maria Toscanesi: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
Angela Amoresano: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
Marina Piscopo: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy
Elisabetta Ceretti: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Claudia Zani: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Stefano Lorenzetti: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
Marco Trifuoggi: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
Luigi Montano: Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (EcoFoodFertility Project), Italy “Oliveto Citra Hospital”, Oliveto Citra, 84020 Salerno, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: Macro and trace elements are important regulators of biological processes, including those ones linked to reproduction. Among them, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Se, and Zn ensure normal spermatic functions. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of 26 macro and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, U, V, and Zn) in blood serum and also in semen of healthy young men, homogeneous for age, anthropometric characteristics, and lifestyle, living in three highly polluted areas in Italy. Furthermore, a comparison among three geographical areas was performed to highlight any difference in the investigated parameters and, overall, to speculate any correlations between chemical elements and semen quality. Statistically significant differences ( p < 0.05) among the three areas were found for each investigated element, in both semen and serum samples, where inter-area differences were more evident in semen than in blood serum, suggesting human semen as an early environmental marker. Considering the homogeneity of three cohorts, these differences could be due more to environmental conditions in the recruiting areas, suggesting that variations in those involved in reproductive-associated pathways can have an impact on male fertility. Nevertheless, more research is needed to evaluate threshold values for sperm dysfunction and male infertility. Actually, the role of different dietary intake and environmental exposure underlying the observed differences in the recruiting areas is under further investigation for the same cohort.

Keywords: trace elements; ICP-MS; semen quality; male fertility; dietary intake; environmental exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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