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Effects of Chronic Boron Exposure on Semen Profile

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Abstract

The possible changes in semen quality were studied in men living in a boron mining area. The subjects in the boron group had exposure to boron at an average level of 6.5 mg/day, as determined by urinary analysis. The results obtained by the boron group were compared to those obtained for the control group whose subjects were living in the same geographical area but away from the boron region; average exposure level was 1.4 mg/day for this group. The semen samples were analyzed according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Boron levels were established in the water samples obtained from various locations in the study region. In the boron mining fields where the subjects in the boron group live, water samples contained boron in the range of 1.4–6.5 mg/L, while the values were <0.01 mg/L for the water samples obtained from the region where the subjects of the control group reside. No negative effects were found in the sperm samples obtained from the subjects of the boron group.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by the National Boron Institute (BOREN), Turkey through the grant 2005/AR/GE 6. We would like to express our appreciation to Dr. Zafer Ayhan of Atalar Laboratory and Güven Laboratory, Balıkesir for his help in the semen analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, 45030, Manisa, Turkey

    Mehmet Korkmaz

  2. Urology Section, Balıkesir State Hospital, 10100, Balıkesir, Turkey

    Mehmet Yenigün

  3. Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, 06531, Ankara, Turkey

    Sezgin Bakırdere & Osman Yavuz Ataman

  4. Department of Chemistry, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, 67100, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Sezgin Bakırdere

  5. Department of Biostatistics and Medical Information, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65200, Van, Turkey

    Sıddık Keskin

  6. Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, 45030, Manisa, Turkey

    Talha Müezzinoğlu & Murat Lekili

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  1. Mehmet Korkmaz
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  2. Mehmet Yenigün
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  3. Sezgin Bakırdere
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  4. Osman Yavuz Ataman
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  5. Sıddık Keskin
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  6. Talha Müezzinoğlu
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  7. Murat Lekili
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Correspondence to Mehmet Korkmaz.

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Korkmaz, M., Yenigün, M., Bakırdere, S. et al. Effects of Chronic Boron Exposure on Semen Profile. Biol Trace Elem Res 143, 738–750 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8928-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8928-2

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