Book Description

The quality of human health is strongly affected by the environmental pollution. Environmental toxins, especially heavy metals, have contributed to an increase in the prevalence of several diseases over the last years, including fertility problems and reproductive malfunctions. Lead, the most potent reproductive toxicant, induces miscarriage, abortions, sterility, difficult pregnancies, and fetal malformations. A new study revealed high concentration of lead in the drinking ground water of North Lebanon, estimated to be slightly higher than the limit recommended by the WHO. Four separate experiments were conducted, using both black and white mice, in order to question the consequential alteration affecting the reproductive system due to lead exposure in drinking water, using atomic absorbance spectroscopy (AAS), Immunofluorescence (IF) and Laser Scan Microscopy (LSM). Lead accumulated mainly in the liver, heart, kidney and ovaries. Lead exposure was extremely detrimental at low level on the reproductive system. Our study demonstrated that continuous exposure to even low level of lead contributes to a high accumulation in ovaries. Black mice were more sensitive to lead exposure in terms of estrous cyclicity. However, white mice had a higher tendency to store lead in their various organs and manifest serious complications at the physiological level, mainly in the gastrointestinal system. Lastly, lead was found to accumulate in theca cells, leading to tardy formation of Graafian follicles, delayed ovulation, reduced number and loss of secondary follicles and corpus lutea, ovarian atrophy at 6 ppm PbCl2 concentration. Efforts should be exerted to decrease the risk of lead-induced reproductive illnesses, infertility in particular, and increase the awareness of this harmful substance.