Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandırma, Turkey

  • Inorganic Compounds
  • Published:
Archives of Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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 Bandırma, 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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barranco WT, Eckhert CD (2004) Boric acid inhibits human prostate cancer cell proliferation. Cancer Lett 216(1):21–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barranco WT, Eckhert CD (2006) Cellular changes in boric acid-treated DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Br J Cancer 94:884–890

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barranco WT, Hudak PF, Eckhert CD (2007) Evaluation of ecological and in vitro effects of boron on prostate cancer risk (United States). Cancer Causes Control 18(1):71–77. Erratum in: Cancer Causes Control. 2007 18(5):583–584

    Google Scholar 

  • Barranco WT, Kim DH, Stella SL Jr, Eckhert CD (2009) Boric acid inhibits stored Ca2 + release in DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Cell Biol Toxicol 25(4):309–320

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conover WJ (1999) Practical nonparametric statistics, 3rd edn. John Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Culp S, Porter M (2009) The effect of obesity and lower serum prostate-specific antigen levels on prostate-cancer screening results in American men. BJU Int 104(10):1457–1461

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Culver BD, Shen PT, Taylor TH, Lee-Feldstein A, Anton-Culver H, Strong PL (1994) The relationship of blood and urine boron to boron exposure in borax workers and the usefulness of urine-boron as an exposure marker. Environ Health Perspect 102(7):133–137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Degen GH, Hengstler JG (2008) Developments in industrial and occupational toxicology: REACH, toxicogenomics, mycotoxins, lead, asbestos, boron, bitumen, deletion polymorphisms and SNP interactions. Meeting report of the 16th EUROTOX Training and Discussion Session. Arch Toxicol 82:483–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Demange M, Görner P, Elcabache JM, Wrobel R (2002) Field comparison of 37 mm closed-faced cassettes and IOM samplers. Appl Occup Environ Hyg 17(3):200–208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deviran TA, Volpe SL (2003) The physiological effects of dietary boron. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 43:219–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ECHA [European Chemicals Agency] (2008) Annex XV Transitional reports: boric acid. Available online: http://echa.europa.eu/doc/trd_substances/boric_acid/ann_xv_trd/trd_austria_boric_acid.pdf (accessed 28.07.2010)

  • Fail PA, Chapin RE, Price CJ, Heindel JJ (1998) General, reproductive, developmental, and endocrine toxicity of boronated compounds. Reprod Toxicol 12(1):1–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo-Williams MT, Chapin RE, King PE, Moser GJ, Goldsworthy TL, Morrison JP, Maronpot RR (2004) Boron supplementation inhibits the growth and local expression of IGF-1 in human prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) tumors in nude mice. Toxicol Pathol 32(1):73–78

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holm S (1979) A simple sequentially rejective multiple test procedure. Scand J Stat 6:65–70

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCS (1998) Envieonmenntal health criteria 204; boron. International Programme on Chemical Safety. World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen AA (2009) Risk assessment of boron in glass wool insulation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 16:73–78

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kehinde EO, Mojiminiyi OA, Sheikh M, Al-Awadi KA, Daar AS, Al-Hunayan A, Anim JT, Al-Sumait AA (2005) Age-specific reference levels of serum prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume in healthy Arab men. BJU Int 96(3):308–312

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kort SA, Martens F, Vanpoucke H, van Duijnhoven HL, Blankenstein MA (2006) Comparison of 6 automated assays for total and free prostate-specific antigen with special reference to their reactivity toward the WHO 96/670 reference preparation. Clin Chem 52(8):1568–1574

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger TF, Menkveld R, Stander FSH, Lombard CJ, Van der Merwe JP, Van Zyl JA, Smith K (1986) Sperm morphologic features as a prognostic factor in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 46:1118–1123

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger TF, Acosta AA, Simmons KF, Swanson RJ, Matta JF, Oehninger S (1988) Predictive value of abnormal sperm morphology in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 49:112–117

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ku WW, Chapin RE, Wine RN, Gladen BC (1993) Testicular toxicity of boric acid (BA): Relationship of dose to lesion development and recovery in F344 rat. Reprod Toxicol 7:305–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li SN, Lundgren DA, Rovell-Rix D (2000) Evaluation of six inhalable aerosol samplers. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 61:506–516

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCoy H, Kenney MA, Montgomery C, Irwin A, Williams L, Orrell R (1994) Relation of boron to the composition and mechanical properties of bone. Environ Health Perspect 102(7):49–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Müezzinoğlu T, Lekili M, Eser E, Uyanik BS, Büyüksu C (2005) Population standards of prostate specific antigen values in men over 40: community based study in Turkey. Int Urol Nephrol 37(2):299–304

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mungan AG, Erol B, Akduman B, Bozdogan G, Kiran S, Yesilli C, Mungan NA (2007) Values for free/total prostate-specific antigen ratio as a function of age: necessity of reference validation in a Turkish population. Clin Chem Lab Med 45(7):912–916. Erratum in: Clin Chem Lab Med 45(11):1570

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray FJ (1995) A human health risk assessment of boron (boric acid and borax) in drinking water. Reg Toxicol Pharmacol 22:221–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray FJ, Schlekat CE (2004) Comparison of risk assessments of boron: alternate approaches to chemical-specific adjustment factors. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 10:57–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen FH (1994) Biochemical and physiologic consequences of boron deprivation in humans. Environ Health Perspect 102(7):59–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen FH (2008) Is boron nutritionally relevant? Nutr Rev 66:183–191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins WA, Xun L, Jia J, Kennedy N, Elashoff DA, Ping L (2010) Chronic boron exposure and human semen parameters. Reprod Toxicol 29:184–190

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (1998) An assessment of fertility in boron-exposed Turkish subpopulations, 2. Evidence that boron has no effect on human reproduction. Biol Trace Elem Res 66:409–422

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (2001) Assessment of fertility among sibs and in “borate families”. Biol Trace Elem Res 81:255–267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (2003) Low frequency of infertility among workers in a borate processing facility. Biol Trace Elem Res 93:19–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS, Tüccar E, Elhan AH (1998) An assessment of fertility in boron-exposed Turkish subpopulations. Reprod Toxicol 12(3):297–304

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scialli AR, Bonde JP, Brüske-Hohlfeld I, Culver BD, Li Y, Sullivan FM (2010) An overview of male reproductive studies of boron with an emphasis on studies of highly exposed Chinese workers. Reprod Toxicol 29:10–24

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2010) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. http://www.R-project.org

  • WHO [World Health Organization] (2003) Laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen and sperm, 4th edn. WHO Press, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing X, Wu G, Wei F, Liu P, Wei H, Wang C, Xu Y, Xun L, Jia J, Kennedy N, Elashoff D, Robbins W (2008) Biomarkers of environmental and workplace boron exposure. J Occup Environ Hyg 5:141–147

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yazbeck C, Kloppmann W, Cottier R, Sahuquillo J, Debotte G, Huel G (2005) Health impact evaluation of boron in drinking water: a geographical risk assessment in Northern France. Environ Geochem Health 27:419–427

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by National Boron Research Institute (BOREN) and Eti Mine Works General Management (2008–G0207). The outline of the study and the processing of the raw data were reviewed by an external expert panel. The authors thank the reviewers, Professors G. Assennato, Bari, and M. Guillemin, Lausanne, for their scrutiny and dedicated effort.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, 06100, Tandoğan, Ankara, Turkey

    Yalçın Duydu & Aylin Üstündağ

  2. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06100, Sıhhiye, Ankara, Turkey

    Nurşen Başaran, Sevtap Aydın & Ülkü Ündeğer

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

    Osman Yavuz Ataman

  4. Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Kaan Aydos

  5. Bandırma State Hospital, Bandırma, Turkey

    Yalçın Düker

  6. Faculty of Statistics, TU Dortmund, 44221, Dortmund, Germany

    Katja Ickstadt & Britta Schulze Waltrup

  7. Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139, Dortmund, Germany

    Klaus Golka & Hermann M. Bolt

Authors
  1. Yalçın Duydu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nurşen Başaran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aylin Üstündağ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sevtap Aydın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ülkü Ündeğer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Osman Yavuz Ataman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Kaan Aydos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yalçın Düker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Katja Ickstadt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Britta Schulze Waltrup
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Klaus Golka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Hermann M. Bolt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yalçın Duydu.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (PDF 490 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duydu, Y., Başaran, N., Üstündağ, A. et al. Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandırma, Turkey. Arch Toxicol 85, 589–600 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0692-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0692-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation