| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 環境與安全衛生工程所 === 96 === BACKGROUND: Workers in coal chemicals factory might exposed to the volatile organic compounds of benzene、toluene、ethylbenzene、xylene and naphthalene that were abbreviated (BTEXN). Few studies have addressed the effects of mixed, low-level and long-term exposures to BTEXN on semen quality. MATERIALS: A total of 28 high exposed workers and 10 lower exposed workers working on coal chemical plant were included in this studied. Semen volume, sperm count, sperm motility, morphology, reactive oxides species generation, mitochondrial function and sperm chromatin DNA structure, ambient BTEXN levels, urinary S-PMA, tt-MA and 2-naphthol levels were accessed. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between the ambient Xylene levels and sperm DNA denaturation (aT) induction and DNA denaturation (COMP aT) (P = 0.0107 and P=0.0213). In addition, positive correlation was observed between the levels of urinary 1-naphthol with the percentage of mitochondrial function and sperm with excessive H2O2 generation(P = 0.0462 and P =0.0258, respectively) indicating that the BTEXN might affect the semen quality. To analyze various departments of workplace, we found the percentage of sperm with increased DNA denaturation (COMP aT), aT and percentage of sperm with excessive H2O2 generation were increased in those workers in oil gas department (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Potential risk of semen quality should be considered for workers long-term and low-level exposure of benzene and naphthalene. Workers in various work types might reveal different effects in semen quality.
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