By: Nicolas Dovalina
Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a chemical that has been used all over the world to make plumbing tubing, household appliances, medical equipment and so much more. The harmful effects that result from the use of BPA was largely unknown until recently. After numerous studies, the harmful effects were discovered and policies were set in place to regulate the use of BPA. Now it is usually stated if a product contains BPA. Research conducted by Chen et al. (2016) showed that, just because BPA was not being used in the product, sometimes chemicals with a similar structure were being used as a substitute. These chemicals are known as bisphenol analogues and share a common structure of two hydroxyphenyl functional groups (Chen et al. 2016). These substitute chemicals are being used as a replacement, and can sometimes have the same harmful effects.
Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a chemical that has been used all over the world to make plumbing tubing, household appliances, medical equipment and so much more. The harmful effects that result from the use of BPA was largely unknown until recently. After numerous studies, the harmful effects were discovered and policies were set in place to regulate the use of BPA. Now it is usually stated if a product contains BPA. Research conducted by Chen et al. (2016) showed that, just because BPA was not being used in the product, sometimes chemicals with a similar structure were being used as a substitute. These chemicals are known as bisphenol analogues and share a common structure of two hydroxyphenyl functional groups (Chen et al. 2016). These substitute chemicals are being used as a replacement, and can sometimes have the same harmful effects.
In the research conducted by Chen et al. (2016), some of his main goals were to understand how bisphenol analogues affect the environment and its toxicity. Various types of data was collected to see how bisphenol analogues were affecting the environment; Dust, river and seawater, sewage sludge, skin lotions, and food are among some of the samples used to test for bisphenol analogues. BPA and bisphenol analogues were present in all of these samples and its ability to affect the environment and humans is inevitable and there are multiple ways of exposure. These chemicals can cause microbial and photochemical biodegradation and result in so many illnesses in humans.
The research conducted by Chen et al. (2016) is the start of many more studies to be conducted. Just like the dangers of BPA were unknown for such a long time, the dangers of its substitute are now being seen. The findings in this article bring to light the true dangers of bisphenol analogues, and as a result will advance our environmental sustainability. Just as BPA is not being used as frequently, we will soon start to see the substitutes also be used less frequently. The less we use these chemicals, the less we will find them in our air, water, and everything in between. This will result in a cleaner and more safe environment.
There is still so much that we do not know about bisphenol analogues and much more research needs to be conducted, but it is clear that an alternative chemical should be used. Many times companies choose not to find alternatives because of monetary reasons, and with little data on bisphenol analogues its hard to exactly pinpoint them as the reason for negative effects, but change needs to happen.
Reference
Chen, D., Kannan, K., Tan, H., Zheng, Z., Feng, Y., Wu, Y., and Widelka, M. 2016. Bisphenol Analogues Other Than BPA: Environmental Occurrence, Human Exposure, and Toxicity—A Review. Environmental Science & Technology. doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b05387
Asimakopoulos, A. G. Xue, J. De Carvallo, B. P. Iyer, A. Abualnaja, K. O. Yaghmoor, S. S. Kumosani, T. A. Kannan, K. 2015. Urinary biomarkers of exposure to 57 xenobiotics and its association with oxidative stress in a population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Environ. Res. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.11.029.
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