Chemicals in carpets may cause infertility

CONTAMINANTS found in the home can damage male fertility, report researchers at the University of Nottingham.

The team exposed sperm samples to the plasticiser DEHP (used in carpets, clothes, upholstery and toys) and polychlorinated biphenyl 153, a banned industrial chemical still widely detectable in food.

They found that exposure to these chemicals reduced sperm motility and increased damage to DNA.

Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers said their study suggests these chemicals are to blame for a decline in sperm quality over the past 80 years.