Evaluating the Effects of Pesticides Residues on Seminal Fluid Antioxidants Status and Semen Parameters among Males with Infertility at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria.

AIMS: To evaluate the impacts of seminal concentrations of selected pesticide residues on SFA parameters and seminal antioxidants in men with abnormal sperm parameters.

SETTINGS AND

DESIGN

An analytical cross-sectional study of consenting infertile male patients, with at least one abnormal seminal fluid analysis (SFA) parameter, at a tertiary Health Centre.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between July 2022 and June 2023, 130 men with abnormal sperm parameters and 130 with normal sperm parameters were studied as controls. Semen samples were collected, treated, and centrifuged. Analyses included pesticide residues (GC/MS), Vitamins C and E (spectrophotometry), and enzyme levels (ELISA), with data analyzed using SPSS 20.0.

RESULT: Subjects showed significantly higher seminal pesticide levels and lower antioxidant levels than controls. Sperm count and motility were positively linked to antioxidant status and negatively linked to pesticide levels, except for Carbamate. Seminal levels of Malathion (13.57 ± 2.68 vs 3.54 ± 1.81 μg/ml, P < 0.001), DDT (24.03 ± 1.93 vs 13.65 ± 1.75 μg/ml, P < 0.001), Permethrin (28.59 ± 3.87 vs 3.82 ± 1.78 μg/ml, P < 0.001), and Carbamate (35.75 ± 1.52 vs 17.75 ± 3.90 μg/ml, P < 0.001) were significantly higher among subjects than controls, respectively. Also, seminal levels Vitamin C (21.74 ± 2.30 vs 54.55 ± 2.78 mg/100 ml, P < 0.001), Vitamin E (5.62 ± 2.17 mg/100 ml vs 14.73 ± 1.62 mg/100 ml, P < 0.001), GPx (74.28 ± 2.63 vs 136.14 ± 2.79 IU/L, P < 0.001), and CAT (102.28 ± 1.44 vs 185.57 ± 1.24 IU/L, P < 0.001) were significantly lower among subjects than controls.

CONCLUSION

Human exposure to various types of pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides used in various daily activities at homes, farmlands, and agricultural storage sites, negatively affects semen parameters and semen antioxidant status.