Table 3.
Significant associations at the α=0.01 level between organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybromated biphenyl (PBB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and semen quality parameters, the LIFE Study, 2005–2009.
| Chemical | Semen Quality Parameter | Beta | SE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| β-HCH | Motility | Amplitude of Lateral Head Displacement (μm) | 0.52 | 0.19 |
| Avg. Path Velocity (μm/sec) | 6.19 | 1.81 | ||
| Curvilinear Velocity (μm/sec) | 9.93 | 3.10 | ||
| Linearity (%) | 6.16 | 1.82 | ||
| Straightness (%) | 9.05 | 2.82 | ||
| Straight-Line Velocity (μm/sec) | 4.98 | 1.48 | ||
| Morphology | Cytoplasmic Droplet (%) | 2.22 | 0.85 | |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.20 | 0.77 | |
|
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| oxychlordane | Overall | Sperm Concentration (*10^6/ml) | 26.21 | 9.22 |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.58 | 0.86 | |
|
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| trans-nonachlor | Overall | Distance Sperm Traveled in Straw (mm) | 3.05 | 1.12 |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −3.17 | 0.84 | |
|
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| p,p′-DDT | Motility | Percent Motility (%) | 5.30 | 1.87 |
|
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| o,p-DDT | Morphology | Strict Criteria (%) | 4.18 | 1.33 |
| WHO Normal (%) | 5.05 | 1.67 | ||
|
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| p,p′-DDE | Motility | Percent Motility (%) | 5.57 | 1.92 |
|
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| mirex | Overall | Sperm Concentration (*10^6/ml) | 25.97 | 9.93 |
| Hypo-osmotic swollen (%) | 4.51 | 1.66 | ||
|
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| PBDE 17 | Morphometry | Coiled tail (%) | −4.05 | 1.53 |
| Morphology | Immature Sperm (#immature) | 6.47 | 2.42 | |
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| PBDE 28 | Morphology | Bicephalic (%) | 0.69 | 0.26 |
|
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| PCB 74 | Morphometry | Sperm Head with Acrosome (%) | 2.08 | 0.75 |
|
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| PCB 99 | Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −3.48 | 0.82 |
|
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| PCB 118 | Morphometry | Sperm Head with Acrosome (%) | 2.33 | 0.75 |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.58 | 0.83 | |
|
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| PCB 128* | Morphology | Strict Criteria (%) | 5.56 | 1.89 |
| WHO Normal (%) | 6.99 | 2.36 | ||
|
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| PCB 138 | Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.80 | 0.86 |
|
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| PCB 146 | Motility | Avg. Path Velocity (μm/sec) | 6.78 | 2.09 |
| Linearity (%) | 8.28 | 2.10 | ||
| Percent Motility (%) | 5.25 | 1.95 | ||
| Straightness (%) | 11.00 | 3.26 | ||
| Straight-Line Velocity (μm/sec) | 5.62 | 1.71 | ||
| Morphometry | Sperm Head with Acrosome (%) | 2.37 | 0.80 | |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.39 | 0.88 | |
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| PCB 153 | Overall | Distance Sperm Traveled in Straw (mm) | 3.65 | 1.22 |
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.41 | 0.90 | |
|
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| PCB 157 | Motility | Linearity (%) | 6.41 | 1.91 |
| Straightness (%) | 9.34 | 2.96 | ||
| Straight-Line Velocity (μm/sec) | 4.09 | 1.56 | ||
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| PCB 172 | Motility | Avg. Path Velocity (μm/sec) | 4.97 | 1.88 |
| Linearity (%) | 5.02 | 1.89 | ||
| Straight-Line Velocity (μm/sec) | 4.69 | 1.53 | ||
|
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| PCB 177 | Motility | Linearity (%) | 5.25 | 2.01 |
|
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| PCB 178 | Motility | Linearity (%) | 6.37 | 2.07 |
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| PCB 183 | Motility | Linearity (%) | 5.14 | 1.97 |
| Percent Motility (%) | 5.49 | 1.86 | ||
| Straight-Line Velocity (μm/sec) | 4.61 | 1.60 | ||
| Sperm Chromatin Stability | High DNA Stainability (%) | −2.40 | 0.82 | |
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| PCB 189** | Overall | Hypo-osmotic swollen (%) | 3.10 | 1.19 |
| Motility | Percent Motility (%) | 4.82 | 1.48 | |
|
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| PCB 196 | Motility | Linearity (%) | 6.00 | 2.26 |
Q2 versus Q1
Q3 versus Q1
β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT) and its metabolites p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) and o,p′-DDT; organochlorine pesticides (OCPs); PBB, polybromated biphenyl; PBDEs, polybrominated diphenyl ethers; PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls; SE, standard error;
Semen outcomes are not transformed. Mixed effects model (for volume, concentration, next day motility, and sperm head morphology) and linear regression model (for the others) were used, and adjusted for age (years), BMI (kg/ m2), study site (Texas/Michigan), cotinine (> 40.35 ng/ml), total lipids (ng/g), and fish consumption (more or less than once a week). Results presented are for the fourth quartile compared to the first quartile unless otherwise indicated.