title: Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandirma, Turkey.
abstract: Boric acid and sodium borates have been considered as being "toxic to reproduction and development", following results of animal studies with high doses. Experimentally, a NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) of 17.5 mg B/kg-bw/day has been identified for the (male) reproductive effects of boron in a multigeneration study of rats, and a NOAEL for the developmental effects in rats was identified at 9.6 mg B/kg-bw/day. These values are being taken as the basis of current EU safety assessments. The present study was conducted to investigate the reproductive effects of boron exposure in workers employed in boric acid production plant in Bandirma, Turkey. In order to characterize the external and internal boron exposures, boron was determined in biological samples (blood, urine, semen), in workplace air, in food, and in water sources. Unfavorable effects of boron exposure on the reproductive toxicity indicators (concentration, motility, morphology of the sperm cells and blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and total testosterone) were not observed. The mean calculated daily boron exposure (DBE) of the highly exposed group was 14.45 ± 6.57 (3.32-35.62) mg/day. These human exposures represent worst-case exposure conditions to boric acid/borates in Turkey. These exposure levels are considerably lower than exposures, which have previously led to reproductive effects in experimental animals. In conclusion, this means that dose levels of boron associated with developmental and reproductive toxic effects in animals are by far not reachable for humans under conditions of normal handling and use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, 06100, Tandoğan, Ankara, Turkey. duydu@pharmacy.ankara.edu.tr
authors.forename: Yalçın
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duydu
authors.forename: Nurşen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Başaran
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Üstündağ
authors.forename: Sevtap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Ülkü
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Ündeğer
authors.forename: Osman Yavuz
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Ataman
authors.forename: Kaan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aydos
authors.forename: Yalçın
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Düker
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ickstadt
authors.forename: Britta Schulze
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Waltrup
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Golka
authors.forename: Hermann M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bolt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D001881:Borates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D001888:Boric Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D001895:Boron / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine; D002617:Chemical Industry; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D005506:Food Contamination; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014421:Turkey; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001881:Borates; D001888:Boric Acids; D004391:Dust; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; C018851:borax; D013739:Testosterone; C010634:sodium borate; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D001895:Boron; C032688:boric acid; C027707:sodium perborate