Sperm function in workers exposed to N,N-dimethylformamide in the synthetic leather industry.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether occupational exposure to N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) for men has adverse effects on sperm function.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
A synthetic leather factory in Taiwan.


METHODS
Twelve DMF-exposed workers in a synthetic leather factory and 8 socioeconomically matched control workers from another non-DMF-exposed manufacturing plant in the vicinity were recruited.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Breathing-zone monitoring of DMF exposure covering the full work shift was implemented on each participant. Urine specimens were collected from each worker immediately after their work shift in parallel with environmental sampling. Environmental DMF and urinary N-methylformamide (NMF) levels were measured by gas chromatograph. Analysis of semen samples was performed to measure semen volume, sperm concentration, morphology, and motility in accordance with World Health Organization criteria.


RESULTS
Both conventional microscopy and computer-assisted semen analysis showed that sperm motility in DMF-exposed group was significantly reduced from that in controls. Motility parameters were related to urinary NMF in a dose-response manner but were not related to airborne DMF.


CONCLUSIONS
Workers occupationally exposed to DMF could be at risk of sperm motility perturbation. The responsible toxicant for the alterations of sperm function could be the active NMF metabolite instead of DMF, but this conclusion warrants a further complete investigation.
Chang
Ho-Yuan
HY
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, People's Republic of China.
Shih
Tung-Sheng
TS
Guo
Yueliang Leon
YL
Tsai
Ching-Yi
CY
Hsu
Ping-Chi
PC
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004126:Dimethylformamide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005559:Formamides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
D005559:Formamides; D004126:Dimethylformamide; C002950:methylformamide