Alcohol consumption and exposure to endocrine disruptors and industrial solvents have been implicated in impaired spermatogenesis, increase in the incidence of malformed sperm and decrease in the percentage of moving sperm. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the direct effects or some organic solvents (bisphenol A; BPA, dioutyl phthalate; DBP, formaldehyde: HCHO, dimethylsulphoxide: DMSO, ethanol) on mucus penetration distance, motility and survival rate or human sperm in vitro. Semen samples from 3 health subjects were prepared using swim-up method and 0.0005~0.5% organic solvents were added to the test medium, BPA, DBP, HCHO and DMSO produced significant decreases in the motility and survival rate with a different potency. The most potent inhibition or mucus penetration distance, motility and survival rate was observed after exposure to HCHO. A concentration or 0.0005% HCHO significantly inhibited sperm motility. When ethanol is added directly to sperm, at concentrations equivalent to that in serum after heavy drinking, these damaging effects were lowest compared with other solvents. Present study shows that each compound has different toxic potency to human sperm and we need special caution for the use or HCHO.
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