Document RjeL8KDV3bQB5dmNjbo79kjYB

10/10/79 FYI: J. C. Weber D. Wood J. Ortiz R. C. Isham E. L. Head M. M. Liebman J. C. McPhillipa F. A. Provorny J. S. Metcalf FROM: Glynn Young atssgr hMMSLUY M12*I.NI 2 41979 IbacqnsJ Spenm density tied to toxic substances level |BNgBg9^^OT Th* data an aomawhat limited. But what than it suggests that apani danaity distributions for U.S. nalta hava shifted to lower valuta ovr tha paat 30 year*. And a Florida Slat* Univanity researcher has avidaeea that part of tha cauaa may ha toxic substances in tha environment. Mon specifically, Florida Stats chemistry profaaaor Ralph C. Dou gherty hat to far found a correlation between tower aperm denaitiea and the pretence of polychlorinated bi- ' ' (FCB'a) with five to eight ----------..He araatatad datafla of t& work at a Division ofEaviroamantal Chemistry ayaapaaiim environmental health ehamietqr. I-:--- . ___________________ Spann danaity contribution hot vniivu oownwara Psresnt tight-fitting But whatever the cmeUBaHan af other catwee, fhenhaaty dhl (hid tnair aubatancaa fat the atimaat aaaaaml plinu tMBtplMe Dougherty potato out tbit th-- fa naeon to behave that a atudp af aperm danaity and teaksuhataaaanhi humane could provide uatihl hho mation concerning enviri--eatal health nroblsm*. The fheiaatiaa af aperm In tha eaminifetone tahaiaa raquina a aaquanaa of eight eel B vision*. Thua, inhibiton ofaaBdM- akm will hava an affect an spans danaity whan n ia baathaw 1. Thua, Doughaatyaaya, thanahaaM be, by thie marhaaian, eawhatawaial magnification in theeffect afiaihihetora ofcall diviaionwhaaapermdan aity ' '' hf ' call dlvWaa, ha notaa, an gaaoaaOy mutagenic agents, with tha irropHon of cwtii" abttlokUl poiNBBa Aai moat oftha weD-kaown cardaagawic To analyia for tonic a___________ aaminal fluid, Dougherty turned toe technique that he haa bean dewsi Than hava been three atudiee of aparm density distribution. On* study in 1929 involved 271 man. Another atudy in 1974 had 1300 donors. Ilia moat meant atudy ia one begun by Dougherty a year ago that had 132 participant*. The maximum in the aparm dan aity diatribution for the 1929 atudy waa 100 million par ml. Thia had ahiftad by th* 1974 atudy to 90million par ml And in Dougherty'a atudy. the maximum waa at 20 mimon per ml--a iavei, h* aaya, many consider to be evidence of functional sterility. Than ha* been considerable discuaakm in tha scientific community about the caueee for the shift in sperm density, Dougherty aaya. It's pomihie that tha variation ia due partially to difference* between th* populations sampled in the three atudiee. The donors in tha 1929 atudy wan man whoa* wives wan pregnant at th* time. Those in th* 1973 study nan prevaaectomy patients in a fertility control clinic. And those in th* cur rant studywan primarily collag*-a(* mala* at Florida State. Dougherty doubts that th* man in his study an npreaantative of th* population as a whole. But ha teals they an representative of male col lege students. It's also conceivable, Dougherty aaya, that aodological and behavioral factor* may b* partially responsible for tha shape of th* aparm danaity diatribution curve. Increased uee of tive chemical ioniaaticai maa* spec trometry. Th* tsellipse tahee ad vantage of th* bet tint task sub stances, with the ernptif af alkaloidal analogs, an virtaofiy al either oxidising aganta or abyiadag aganta or both. Osidiaiag apMSSB a* alkylating agents wdl captun sithar thermal electrons or thaxxMdfaod gaa-phaa* miriaonhiloo to ham assionic complexes m the gas pilose aomathhig baomoleculee don't, in gononlao. For tha work with seminal dead, Dmh*rty used stems dwtdfatiaw from an acidified sample foe daaanp and iaobutane/oxygeu as the isapwn for tha nagativ* ijhamkal ieaMiaa mass apactrum. All of tha aaminalplasma aamplaa examined seen ronlamisswlad with toxic oubstancso at lavab that ex ceeded background. Doughertyaagm. Th* moat cammanly occurring mm Date from the amiyoeeweeeMte a computer end e regreeesnti enelyme carried out The PCB'a sritk Baa Is sight chlorines gave the conaMra with aparm daamty dsanaaa, BCVh appear to account far 28% of tha d crease in aparm denary, Dessghaety eye. There eieo era a number of*- knowno, Flmigherty saye, that have very signifirent negative eomktmm coefficMata. but he dossal know yat what thay are. ^p MOWS 008973