Bisphenol A: Addressing Safety Concerns

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Toxicology
The BPA Debate from Two Perspectives
Analysis
Conclusion
References

Introduction

For over a long period Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a chemical product, has been used in the industrial manufacture of plastics. The plastics include polycarbonates and epoxy resins. This compound is usually produced in large amounts. Polycarbonates are used in very many ways.

The uses include making the bottles that are used in the packaging of water and food. They include medical devices, compact discs, infant bottles, and safety equipment. Manufacturers use epoxy resin in coating metal products. The products are food cans, water pipes, and bottle tops. Composites of dental sealants also have elements of BPA.

Toxicology

Bisphenol A mainly gets into the human body through the diet. Other possible ways include water, air, and through exposure to dust. Food and beverages account for the highest percentage of BPA consumed daily by people. Bisphenol A leaches into the food through the internal coated layer of epoxy resin in products.

The products include food storage containers, baby bottles, polycarbonates tableware, and water bottles (Cooper, 2011). The temperature at which the product is stored determines the degree of the leakage of BPA into the food.

The exposure of BPA to people has spread so widely that the issue has become a concern to governments, health institutions and the manufacturing industries. The impact of BPA affects even the unborn and this is likely to lead to the birth of deformed children.

BPA has very toxic effects to people if they are exposed to it at very high levels. Researches carried out on animals revealed lose of weight along with the consequences that come with weight loss.

Government institutions, production industries, and academic research groups have carried out the research surrounding the toxicological effects of BPA (Deligio, 2010). The different groups came to an agreement that there are no adverse effects if people are exposed to BPA in some circumstances.

Exposure resulting from normal industrial production, safe environmental use, and levels below any expected effect are some of the circumstances.

In the reproductive health, children are not affected unless the level of exposure is very high to be considered systematically toxic. The BPA components used in the treatment of parents do not affect negatively on off springs.

The mammary glands including other reproductive organs of parents are also not affected when exposed to BPA during treatment (Soto, 2010). Experiments performed in various laboratories in an attempt to ascertain the use of BPA as a replacement for estrogen have shown that the two have similar estrogenic activities.

The researchers have however failed to confirm its use due to the unknown extreme effects on human beings. Research emanating the above fear reveals that when BPA is used in amounts that induce maternal toxicity then pups from the animals exposed to BPA will have reduced weight in addition to producing less number of live litters.

The number of live litter and postpartum dam weights also reduced. Among the male animals and the off springs of dams, there was a decrease in the weight of reproductive organs and sperm concentration.

A study on rats concerning the sub chronic and chronic toxicity of BPA showed lower weight as the main effect of using BPA in treatment.

The BPA Debate from Two Perspectives

In the early 1990s, Dr. David Fieldman almost discovered the migration of Bisphenol A from polycarbonate test tubes he was using into a test-specimen and looked like estrogen.

Since then debate has been hot on the BPA’s chemical safety (Weiss, 2011). This controversial debate has been fuelled by bans imposed on the use of BPA and its PC.

The discovery occurred when Dr. Fieldman and his team saw estrogenic activity develop in cultures of yeast that they had not added precursors. Subsequent experiments showed that the estrogenic activity came from the polycarbonate flasks they were using for the growth of yeast and not the yeast that was being used in the experiment.

The journal discusses the response from Dr. Fieldman over the safety of BPA and includes the defense by Steven Hestges from the industry of the BPA Global Group.

In the Journal Dr. Fieldman admits that the first discovery of BPA was accidental. The chemical was first discovered as it looked like an estrogen molecule. It was leaching from the plastic they were using in the synthesis of yeast.

Further prove came when the experiment was done without the yeast as the activity was seen again. Experiments using glass flasks did not show the estrogen activity. According to Dr. Fieldman, the continued use of PC containers to pack food and drinks is a serious health problem that has not been explored well.

It is still not safe to carry out experiments on people though its adverse effects on people are not clear. Based on the results of diethylstilbestrol (DES) it is confirmed that changes caused by BPA are inheritable (Winas, 2011).

The successful use of DES to stabilize risky pregnancies resulted in high risks of vaginal cancer in the DES babies when they approached their late twenties. This carcinogenic effect led to a stop in its use. This proved that the use of the molecule affected the offspring.

Analysis

The similarity between BPA and DES showed that BPA changes the epigenetic profile of the animals exposed to it. BPA alters the proteins that cover the DNA and in the process determines what parts of the DNA are to be used.

The long-term effects include causing various types of cancer i.e. uterine, breast, and vaginal among others. (Sato, 2010) BPA is a bioaccumulative chemical making it a high risk factor. Its effects spread fast if it combines with other endocrine disruptors.

Steven Hestges on the hand defends the use of BPA products. He believes that the issue of BPA and endocrine disruptors is fascinating to scientists. He agrees with facts put forward on this matter saying that government legislations are base on them.

To him the use of BPA in its current is safe to human health and therefore acceptable. The new findings on BPA are mere updates of the views previously put forward.

Hestges quotes DR. Joshua Sharfsten of the FDA who argued that banning the use of BPA was acting from the legal perspective but medically it is still safe. No legislation about BPA is new. To him it should be used as the scientists find more facts on it.

Conclusion

Analysis of various articles about the safety of BPA I am convinced its use is still safe. The conflicting statements from various scientists do not serve to make matters clear. Even Dr. Fieldman himself in conclusion acknowledges that there is still more to be done to unearth more facts about BPA.

The structure of DES and BPA are very similar hence, the effects of DES cannot be used to rule out the use of BPA. Scientists must dig deep into the matter to make precise differences and similarities are understood.

The regulations surrounding the use of PC containers are currently enough to manage their use. It will be very difficult to develop new packaging products. The loss on the manufactures could be very huge.

References

Cooper, J. E (2011). Assessment of Bisphenol. New York: Chemosphere abstract.

Deligio, T. (2010). The BPA debate from two Perspectives. New York: Plastic Solutions.

Soto, A M (2010). Environmental causes of cancer. New York: Endocrinol abstract.

Weiss, B (2011) Endocrine disruptor as a threat to neurological function. New York; Neuroscience abstract.

Winas, B. (2011). Environmental toxicants and the developing immune system. New York: Repro Toxicol abstract.

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