We know that plastics have consumed our life, but what many do not know is that we are also consuming plastic. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a synthetic carbon compound that is used in hard, clear polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. This resin is often used to coat metals, such as food cans and water pipes, as well as many other unexpected places. BPA is not soluble in water but is soluble in some organic solvents. While BPA does not bioaccumulate nearly as much as the pesticides and heavy metals we have discussed, their difficulty breaking down means they can be in the environment and our bodies for a long time. The BPA that is incorporated into our everyday lives as the can you eat soup from or the so called “environmentally- friendly” refillable bottle, is constantly breaking away from the container and into the contents. This leaching of the BPA is accelerated by heating and time. It is estimated that 1 million pounds of BPA enters the environment each year. With research still being done on the exact effect it has on us, this number needs to be stopped before more serious health issues begin to emerge.
When I hear “BPA” the image of highly advertised BPA-free Nalgene water bottles comes to mind. In 2007 Nalgene took all of it’s water bottles off of the shelves, and seemingly replaced them overnight with new BPA-free water bottles in every color possible. Around that time more and more companies became “BPA-free” and sales in glass bottle alternatives increased. It seemed as though no one knew exactly what BPA meant for us in the future, only that BPA-free alternatives were a necessary first step.
The beginning of the BPA-free movement began when BPA was found as not only a great hard plastic, but also a synthetic estrogen. This leads to a disruption in the endocrine system and further issues later on. Laboratory animals that were exposed to high levels of BPA showed a issues with normal reproductive and brain development, the thyroid, mammary and fat tissues, and the immune system. The altered development increases the chances of breast and prostate cancer, as well as an increase in some behavioral functions including increased aggression and decreased maternal behavior. Some of the mice even displayed behavior similar to ADD or ADHD. With ADHD, breast cancer and fertility problems growing in America there is curiosity as to whether the increase in these areas is linked to BPA. This theory is still being researched as there are many factors to consider.
The impact of BPA on babies and children is also prevalent in current research. BPA was only eliminated from baby bottles and sippy cups as of 2012. A study by the CDC showed that in 2517 urine samples of people of 6, 93% of the samples contained BPA. At a very young age, children are exposed to this synthetic hormone that could lead to early puberty and have very serious consequences at a later age. The removal of the baby bottles and sippy cups is also an example of the government’s resistance to take action. The FDA is very reluctant to pull these hard plastics for a theory that has mainly just been tested in the labs.
In a more recent study, the BPA levels in thermal paper receipts has been tested. The researchers compared two different methods of handling the receipts to the level of BPA over certain lengths of time. They discovered that the longer the receipt was exposed to the skin, the more BPA. However, after holding a receipt for 6 minutes only 0.08% of the BPA on the thermal paper was transferred to the skin. They repeated this with hands that had just used Purell and found the BPA levels increased to 7% of the receipts BPA in only one minute. The researchers then gave the BPA covered hands french fries and tested the blood levels for BPA. The BPA in the Purell hand’s blood sample was detectable at 10.2 nanograms per milliliter of blood for females and 5.7 nanograms for males. The dry hands, however, showed no sign of BPA in the blood. Especially if you are a female, you may want to think twice before making a habit of sanitizing in the grocery store.
In addition to BPA’s effect on us, research is also being conducted in the oceans. The amount of plastic in the ocean is an overwhelming sight for anyone who has witnessed it. Whether it is in the form of abundant microplastics inside of dead birds and fish or bigger plastics in gyres or washed onto the shore, the plastic seems to be everywhere and not breaking down. Surprisingly, however, some hard plastics are degrading in the ocean, but with the degradation of hard plastics comes the release of BPA. In addition to hard plastics, epoxy plastic paint, often used to seal the hulls of ships, is also breaking down in the ocean. When testing 200 sites in the ocean for BPA levels the discovered a range from 0.01ppm to 50 ppm. These concentrations may not seem huge to us, but they are very significant for delicate marine ecosystems where signals like hormones play an important role in the success of the species.
The harmful effects of BPA may not be as obvious as heavy metals or pesticides, but the potential links to serious conditions should not be ignored.
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