Canada may label bisphenol-A “Toxic”

The New York times broke the story today that the Canadian Government is prepared to label BPA toxic. Bisphenol-A is used in polycarbonate pastics. BPA may be banned in Canada from many household items such as: baby bottles, beverage containers, food containers, and linings in some food cans.

BPA is used in many many items. Several studies have shown that BPA can mimic oestrogen in the human body confusing the body’s endocrine system. Several studies have also shown that it may not be a risk to adults however babies may be espesially vulnerable. This is the reason its use in baby bottles has been under scrutiny. For more information on PBA look at my blogs at: Bisphenol Compounds,  and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds.

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds: 2. Bisphenolic Compounds

Bisphenolic Compounds are used in the synthesis of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins for many companies. Recently, Bisphenol-A (BPA) has received much attention in the news media after being reported to leach from baby bottles after heating in the microwave. BPA has also been reported to leach from other products such as: the plastic lining of cans used for food, tableware, and white dental fillings and sealants. Bisphenol-A is an endocrine disrupting compound that has been found to promote many deleterious health effects. BPA mimics the female hormone, oestrogen, disrupts the chemical communication system within the cells of the body^1,2.

1. Determination of Endocrine-Disrupting Phenolic Compounds and Estrogens in Surface and Drinking Water by HRGC-(NCI)-MS in the Picogram per Liter Range; Holger M. Kuch and Karlheinz Ballschmiter; Environ. Sci. Technol., 35 (15), 3201 -3206,
2001

2. Large effects from small exposures. I. Mechanisms for endocrine-disrupting chemicals with estrogenic activity; Wade V Welshons, Kristina A Thayer, Barbara M Judy, Julia A Taylor, Edward M Curran, and Frederick S vom Saal; Environ Health Perspect. 2003 June; 111(8): 994-1006.

3. Simultaneous determination of endocrine disrupting phenolic compounds and steroids in water by solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; R. Liu, J. L. Zhou and A. Wilding; Journal of Chromatography A ; Volume 1022, Issues 1-2, 2 January 2004, Pages 179-189