One chemical, DEHP, is an additive that increases the plasticity of a material. The other, polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB153), is an industrial chemical that once had a wide variety of applications. Though banned from production globally since 2001, PCB153 is still found in abundance in the environment, including in both human and dog food. In a news release, researcher Richard Lea said the findings “suggest that man-made chemicals that have been widely used in the home and working environment may be responsible for the fall in sperm quality reported in both man and dog that share the same environment.” The study is the first to find that DEHP and PCB153 impact sperm quality. It also reveals that the impact is the same for humans and dogs, which could prove extremely valuable for future research on the global sperm quality decline and the infertility crisis it’s causing.

Source: Standard Digital March 05, 2019 16:41 UTC