Objective   To sutdy the effects of buprofezin production exposure on the semen quality of occupational workers.

  Methods   Eighteen male workers who exposed to buprofezin and 46 male administratiors in the office in a pesticide factory were selected as the exposure group and the internal control group, respectively, and 22 male administrators in a center for disease control were served as the external control group.In order to evaluate the exposure levels, the concetrations of buprofezin, carbon tetrachloride, chlorine in the ambient air of working place in these three groups were monitored simultaneously for three consecutive days.Moreover, three workers in the exposure group and the external control group were selected to evaluate the amount of buprofezin of individual and dermal contamination in the consecutive days.After the semen were collected according to the standard method, the workers semen qualities were analysed with WHO method, the sperm morphology and the sperm motility were evaluated using μ-cell slide spectrum technology and computer assisted sperm analysis(CASA).

  Results   In the exposure group, the concentrations of buprofezin and carbon tetrachloride were significantly higher than those in the internal and external control group(P < 0.01 orP < 0.05).Furthermore, the concentrations of buprofezin with the individual sampling and the dermal contamination detection in the buprofezin exposure area were significantly higher than those in the external control area(P < 0.01).The sperm progression and sperm motion parameters such as linearity(LIN)in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the extrnal control group(P < 0.05).In addition, the rate of sperm mixed abnormality was significantly higher than that in the internal control group(P < 0.05).

  Conclusion   Occupational exposure to buprofezin froduction can affect worker's semen quality.