Schecter A, McGee H, Stanley J S, Boggess K, Brandt-Rauf P
Department of Preventive Medicine, State University of New York, Binghamton 13903, USA.
Am J Ind Med. 1996 Dec;30(6):647-54. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199612)30:6<647::AID-AJIM1>3.0.CO;2-O.
This exposure assessment pilot study tested the hypothesis that elevated blood levels of the dioxin congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD ("TCDD"), due to Agent Orange exposure, in American Vietnam veterans could be demonstrated two to three decades after Vietnam service. A second objective was to determine if dioxins, including TCDD, are present in the semen of adult males. In the early 1990s, blood samples from 50 Vietnam veterans and three pooled semen samples from 17 of them were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy for dioxins, dibenzofurans, and the dioxin-like PCBs. Fifty volunteers from the Michigan Vietnam veteran bonus list, which documented Vietnam service, were invited to participate based on their self-reported exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Screening of military and medical records was performed by an epidemiologist and a physician to assure that Agent Orange exposure was possible based on job description, location of service in Vietnam, and military Agent Orange spray records. Elevated 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels, over 20 ppt on a lipid basis, could still be detected in six of the 50 veterans in this nonrandomly selected group. The dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners commonly found in the U.S. population, including TCDD, were also detected in the three pooled semen samples. Quantification and comparison on a lipid basis were not possible due to low lipid concentrations where levels were below the detection limit. Therefore, semen samples were measured and reported on a wet-weight basis. Elevated blood TCDD levels, probably related to Agent Orange exposure, can be detected between two and three decades after potential exposure in some American veterans. Original levels were estimated to be 35-1,500-fold greater that that of the general population (4 ppt, lipid) at the time of exposure. In addition, the detection of dioxins in semen suggests a possible mechanism for male-mediated adverse reproductive outcomes following Agent Orange or other dioxin exposure.
由于接触橙剂，美国越战退伍军人血液中二噁英同系物2,3,7,8-四氯二苯并对二噁英（“TCDD”）水平升高的情况，可在越战服役两到三十年之后得到证实。第二个目标是确定包括TCDD在内的二噁英是否存在于成年男性的精液中。在20世纪90年代初，采用高分辨率气相色谱-质谱分析法，对50名越战退伍军人的血液样本以及其中17人的三份混合精液样本进行了二噁英、二苯并呋喃和类二噁英多氯联苯的分析。从记录有越战服役经历的密歇根越战退伍军人奖金名单中邀请了50名志愿者参与，邀请依据的是他们自己报告的在越南接触橙剂的情况。一名流行病学家和一名医生对军事和医疗记录进行了筛查，以确保根据工作描述、在越南的服役地点以及军事橙剂喷洒记录，有可能接触到橙剂。在这个非随机选择的群体中，50名退伍军人中有6人仍能检测到2,3,7,8-TCDD水平升高，基于脂质的水平超过20皮克/克。在三份混合精液样本中也检测到了在美国人群中常见的二噁英和二苯并呋喃同系物，包括TCDD。由于脂质浓度较低，低于检测限，无法进行基于脂质的定量和比较。因此，精液样本是按湿重进行测量和报告的。在一些美国退伍军人中，可能与接触橙剂有关的血液TCDD水平升高，可在潜在接触两到三十年之后检测到。据估计，接触时的原始水平比一般人群（4皮克/克，脂质）高35至1500倍。此外，精液中检测到二噁英表明，在接触橙剂或其他二噁英后，男性介导的不良生殖结果可能存在一种机制。
