Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants

Background: Epidemiological studies demonstrate that exposure to tobacco causes infertility. A reference cigarette contains up to 47 chemicals above the quantification level, of which acrylamide, benzopyrene, cadmium, ethylene oxide and lead are classified as known (category 1A), presumed (category...

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Main Authors: Carmen Estevan, Gabriela A. Báez-Barroso, Eugenio Vilanova, Miguel A. Sogorb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Toxics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/234
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author Carmen Estevan
Gabriela A. Báez-Barroso
Eugenio Vilanova
Miguel A. Sogorb
author_facet Carmen Estevan
Gabriela A. Báez-Barroso
Eugenio Vilanova
Miguel A. Sogorb
author_sort Carmen Estevan
collection DOAJ
description Background: Epidemiological studies demonstrate that exposure to tobacco causes infertility. A reference cigarette contains up to 47 chemicals above the quantification level, of which acrylamide, benzopyrene, cadmium, ethylene oxide and lead are classified as known (category 1A), presumed (category 1B) or suspected (category 2) human reproductive toxicants due to their effects on fertility and sexual function. Methods: We collected toxicological information on these substances to establish their respective systemic-derived no-effect levels (internal doses predicted not to alter fertility). We also estimated the systemic exposure to these four substances by smokers consuming 20 cigarettes per day. Results: The risks (ratios between exposure and safe dose) were 0.23, 0.06, 0.18, 0.01 and 0.00002 for acrylamide, benzopyrene, cadmium, ethylene oxide and lead, respectively. The combined risk was 0.48. Conclusions: It was concluded that the changes in fertility resulting from the consumption of the substances in tobacco classified as toxic to fertility could not be explained by mechanisms with a toxicity threshold attributable to these five substances. No safe dose could be derived for tobacco use in persons seeking pregnancy; this applied to both active and passive smokers.
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spelling doaj-art-103dfa217e24441b8b3b5947f13cfba52025-08-20T02:25:04ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-03-0113423410.3390/toxics13040234Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as ReprotoxicantsCarmen Estevan0Gabriela A. Báez-Barroso1Eugenio Vilanova2Miguel A. Sogorb3Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, SpainInstituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, SpainInstituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, SpainInstituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, SpainBackground: Epidemiological studies demonstrate that exposure to tobacco causes infertility. A reference cigarette contains up to 47 chemicals above the quantification level, of which acrylamide, benzopyrene, cadmium, ethylene oxide and lead are classified as known (category 1A), presumed (category 1B) or suspected (category 2) human reproductive toxicants due to their effects on fertility and sexual function. Methods: We collected toxicological information on these substances to establish their respective systemic-derived no-effect levels (internal doses predicted not to alter fertility). We also estimated the systemic exposure to these four substances by smokers consuming 20 cigarettes per day. Results: The risks (ratios between exposure and safe dose) were 0.23, 0.06, 0.18, 0.01 and 0.00002 for acrylamide, benzopyrene, cadmium, ethylene oxide and lead, respectively. The combined risk was 0.48. Conclusions: It was concluded that the changes in fertility resulting from the consumption of the substances in tobacco classified as toxic to fertility could not be explained by mechanisms with a toxicity threshold attributable to these five substances. No safe dose could be derived for tobacco use in persons seeking pregnancy; this applied to both active and passive smokers.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/234risk assessmentinfertilitytobaccosmokingderived no effect level (DNEL)NOAEL
spellingShingle Carmen Estevan
Gabriela A. Báez-Barroso
Eugenio Vilanova
Miguel A. Sogorb
Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
Toxics
risk assessment
infertility
tobacco
smoking
derived no effect level (DNEL)
NOAEL
title Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
title_full Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
title_fullStr Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
title_full_unstemmed Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
title_short Risk Assessment of Impairment of Fertility Due to Exposure to Tobacco Constituents Classified as Reprotoxicants
title_sort risk assessment of impairment of fertility due to exposure to tobacco constituents classified as reprotoxicants
topic risk assessment
infertility
tobacco
smoking
derived no effect level (DNEL)
NOAEL
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/234
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AT eugeniovilanova riskassessmentofimpairmentoffertilityduetoexposuretotobaccoconstituentsclassifiedasreprotoxicants
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