title: Urinary concentrations of benzophenone-type ultraviolet light filters and semen quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess benzophenone-type ultraviolet (UV) filter concentrations, chemicals used in sunscreen and personal care products, and semen endpoints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 413 men provided semen and urine samples, 2005-2009. Five UV filters were quantified (ng/mL) in urine using liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry: BP-1 (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone), BP-2 (2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone), BP-3 (2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone), BP-8 (2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone), and 4-OH-BP (4-hydroxybenzophenone). Using linear regression, β-coefficients (β) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each chemical dichotomized at the 75th percentile and Box-Cox transformed semen endpoint were estimated, after adjusting for age, body mass index, cotinine, season, and site.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five semen endpoints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BP-2 was associated with diminished sperm concentration (β = -0.74; 95% CI -1.41, -0.08), straight (β = -4.57; 95% CI -8.95, -0.18) and linear movement (β = -3.15; 95% CI -6.01, -0.30), more immature sperm (β = 0.38; 95% CI 0.15, 0.62), and a decreased percentage of other tail abnormalities (β = -0.16; 95% CI -0.31, -0.01). BP-8 was associated with decreased hypo-osmotic swelling (β = -2.57; 95% CI -4.86, -0.29) and higher acrosome area (β = 1.14; 95% CI 0.01, 2.26). No associations were observed for BP-1, BP-3, or 4OH-BP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that specific UV filters may be associated with some aspects of semen endpoints, but await future corroboration.
authors.affiliation: Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland. Electronic address: louisg@mail.nsih.gov.
authors.forename: Germaine M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Buck Louis
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Sungduk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sapra
authors.affiliation: Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Preventive Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jisuk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001577:Benzophenones / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000652:urine*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D016482:Urinalysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001577:Benzophenones; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; C047723:benzophenone
keywords: Benzophenones; fecundity; semen; sperm; sunscreens