Raman Microspectroscopy evidence of microplastics in human semen

Luigi Montano; Elisabetta Giorgini; Valentina Notarstefano; Tiziana Notari; Maria Ricciardi; Marina Piscopo; Oriana Motta

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165922

Raman Microspectroscopy evidence of microplastics in human semen

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Nov 25:901:165922. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165922. Epub 2023 Jul 31.

Authors

Luigi Montano¹, Elisabetta Giorgini², Valentina Notarstefano³, Tiziana Notari⁴, Maria Ricciardi⁵, Marina Piscopo⁶, Oriana Motta⁷

Affiliations

¹ Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (Eco-Food Fertility Project), "S. Francesco di Assisi Hospital", 84020 Oliveto Citra, SA, Italy; PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: luigimontano@gmail.com.
² Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, DiSVA, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, AN, Italy.
³ Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, DiSVA, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, AN, Italy. Electronic address: v.notarstefano@univpm.it.
⁴ Check-Up PolyDiagnostics and Research Laboratory, Andrology Unit, Viale Andrea De Luca 5, 84131 Salerno, Italy.
⁵ Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy.
⁶ Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy.
⁷ Department of Medicine Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy.

PMID: 37532047
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165922

Abstract

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in human fluids and organs is a great concern, since, as highlighted by recent studies on animal models, they could cause alterations of several physiological functions, including reproduction. In this study, semen samples collected from men living in a polluted area of the Campania Region (Southern Italy), were analyzed to assess the presence of MPs. N. 16 pigmented microplastic fragments (ranging from 2 to 6 μm in size) with spheric or irregular shapes were found in six out of ten samples. All the detected MPs were characterized in terms of morphology (size, colour, and shape) and chemical composition by Raman Microspectroscopy. Chemical composition showed the presence of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polyoxymethylene (POM) and acrylic, suggesting ingestion and/or inhalation as a route of exposure to environmental MPs. In this work, we propose for the first time a mechanism by which MPs pass into the semen most likely through the epididymis and seminal vesicles, which are the most susceptible to inflammation.

Keywords: Epididymis; Human semen; Microplastics; Raman Microspectroscopy; Seminal vesicles.