Occupational
The Impact of Short-Term Exposure to Volatile Hydrocarbons on Fertility: Perspectives from the GuLF Study Rebecca N Noga* Rebecca Noga Jake E. Thistle Elizabeth M. Kamai Patricia A. Stewart Mark R. Stenzel Caroline P. Groth Tran B Huynh Gurumurthy Ramachandran Sudipto Banerjee W. Braxton Jackson II Kate Christenbury Richard K. Kwok Kaitlyn G. Lawrence Dale P. Sandler Lawrence S. Engel Stephanie M. Engel
Background: Petrochemicals benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, n-hexane (BTEX-H) and other hydrocarbons have been linked to adverse reproductive health outcomes. Few studies have examined exposures in relation to fertility. Methods: We used data from the Gulf Long-Term Follow-Up (GuLF) Study, a longitudinal study of oil spill response and clean-up (OSRC) workers and nonworkers following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Of 32,608 participants who enrolled (2011-2013), 10,068 workers (31%) completed a follow-up interview that collected information on fertility (2018-2021). We included participants aged 18-37 at time of exposure with no prior history of infertility and (women) with no history of hysterectomy who were still menstruating at follow-up, resulting in 3,434 participants (2,804 men, 630 women). We defined infertility as no pregnancy conception after 12 months of attempt. Cumulative average exposure to BTEX-H and total hydrocarbons (THC) chemicals were estimated via a job exposure matrix linking air monitoring data to detailed work histories collected at enrollment. We used logistic regression to assess odds ratio (OR) of infertility in relation to BTEX-H and THC exposures, adjusted for age, marital status, education, income, and smoking status. Results: Among those eligible, 10% of men and 12% of women reported no pregnancy after 12 months. In men, log-unit increases in BTEX-H and THC levels were all associated with increased odds of infertility (e.g., toluene OR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.49; xylene OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.75). In women, associations between exposures and infertility were less evident. The odds of infertility were higher with exposures above the median (e.g., toluene OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 0.87, 2.41; ethylbenzene OR: 1.21, 95%CI: 0.73, 2.02). Discussion: Short-term exposures to BTEX-H and THC may be associated with increased odds of infertility. Given the exposures’ pervasiveness, these associations have large implications for the public.