Assessment of Seminal Trace Elements Levels in Infertile Nigerian Males
[1]
Uwanaka Oluchi Chioma, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
[2]
Iweka Kenneth Friday, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
[3]
Dic-Ijiewere Ebenezer Oseremen, Department of Chemical Pathology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
Humans are exposed daily to environmental pollutants and environmental chemicals such as heavy metals are thought to adversely affect human reproductive function. A total of One hundred and twenty (120) subjects were used for the study of which seventy (70) of the subjects were infertile men classified as Oligospermic (n=15), Azospermic (n=16) and Asthenoligospermic (n=39) men according to their spermiogrames, while fifty (50) were used as control subjects (normospermic). The seminal levels of these trace elements were determined using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean seminal fluid concentration of lead (15.36 ± 5.91 µg/l) and Chromium (8.90 ± 4.39 µg/l) of infertile men were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) when compared with the control subjects (17.63±5.43 µg/l; 7.35±2.38 µg/l respectively) while the mean seminal fluid concentration of selenium (2.01± 0.61µg/l), zinc (89.55±24.59 µg/l), cadmium (3.35± 1.52µg/l) of infertile men when compared with the control subjects (1.87±0.44 µg/l; 86.15±17.58 µg/l and 3.64±1.63 µg/l respectively) were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Hence, nutritional and biochemical factors may affect male reproduction.
Semen, Trace, Infertile, Lead, Chromium, Selenium, Zinc, Cadmium
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