Contamination of rice by etofenprox, diethyl phthalate and alkylphenols: effects on first delivery and sperm count in mice.
We observed that first delivery was delayed when a group of paired mice fed with non-organic common rice compared to a group fed with organic rice. This led us to hypothesize that pesticides or other soil contaminants may be responsible for the effect on mice reproduction. We then found that the non-organic rice was contaminated with a pesticide etofenprox and nonylphenol, butylphenol and diethyl phthalate which are used as agricultural detergents or plasticizers of agricultural film, that are all suspected to be estrogenic. Therefore, the chemicals were administered to mice at the levels detected in rice, and we subsequently observed that first delivery and sperm count of the animals were significantly impaired. This study is the first to show that rice contaminated with agricultural chemicals affects reproduction in the mammal.
Hayashi
Kunioki
K
Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University. hayashi@agri.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Nakae
Ai
A
Fukushima
Yukie
Y
Sakamoto
Kazuya
K
Furuichi
Tsutomu
T
Kitahara
Kana
K
Miyazaki
Yukiko
Y
Ikenoue
Chisato
C
Matumoto
Satoshi
S
Toda
Takayoshi
T
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D012275:Oryza / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D036801:Parturition / Q000187:drug effects*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D011722:Pyrethrins; C076840:ethofenprox; C007379:diethyl phthalate