Air Pollution and Human Fertility

It's long been suspected that air pollution negatively impacts human fertility. What's been uncertain, however, has been whether the detriment occurs in the male, the female or both. The nature of the air pollutants involved has also been somewhat unclear. An Emory University study looked at gamete (egg and sperm) formation as well as early embryo development in 1,400 men and women undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures. The data obtained was matched to air qualities at zip codes for the subject's home and fertilization clinic used (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/04/air-pollution-infertility-risk). Data confirmed that both male and female fertilities appeared reduced by air pollution. Organic carbon and particulates seemed the most likely causes. These air pollutants are mainly produced by diesel-fuelled vehicles and some industrial processes (e.g. power-production and waste burning). Wildfire smoke, however, also has very high concentations of organic carbon and particulates. Climate change has resulted in regular raging wildfires in the US and Canada. The smoke generated, can impact subjects hundreds of males away. This type of study could also be used, to assess the importance of PPFAs ('forever chemicals') and microplastics to human fertility. Both these pollutants are becoming ubiquitous and both are also known to negatively impact fertility. Protecting human fertility may well require our reducing pollutants in the air, the soil, water and our homes/places of work. Humans currently seem to be doing everything to suppress the species fertility?