A new study has discovered that pollutants found in English waterways could be responsible for causing infertility in males.
Anti-androgens, which can block the production of testosterone and reduce male fertility, were discovered by scientists to be present in 30 rivers in England.
The study, conducted jointly by Brunel University, the Universities of Exeter and Reading and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, found that male fish have been affected by the presence of the chemicals.
It suggested that declining fertility among human males within the last 50 years could also be due to this.
"There are likely to be many reasons behind the rise in male fertility problems in humans, but these findings could reveal one previously unknown factor," stated the report's senior author, professor Charles Tyler of the University of Exeter.
In October, the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Affairs announced that it is to embark upon a study this year to test the levels of prescription drugs present in the country's water supplies.
