Study Claims BPA Remains in Body Longer Than Expected
A recent study has claimed that the food packaging chemical bisphenol A (BPA) remains in the body longer than expected, raising questions about potential non-food sources. Richard Stahlhut, et al., “Bisphenol A Data in NHANES Suggest Longer Than Expected Half-Life, Substantial Non-Food Exposure, or Both,” Environmental Health Perspectives, January 28, 2009. University of Rochester Medical Center researchers examined BPA levels in the urine of 1,469 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study authors found that instead of quickly metabolizing BPA, people who fasted for 24 hours still eliminated the chemical in their urine, leading to speculation that BPA might be stored in fat tissue or come from other sources such as tap water or household dust.
Previous research has allegedly linked higher BPA concentrations to ailments ranging from heart disease, type 2 diabetes and liver enzyme abnormalities, to developmental problems in infants and children. “The study reinforces the urgent need for stricter government oversight and regulation of this extremely toxic chemical,” a Breast Cancer Fund spokesperson was quoted as saying. “It adds to what we already know about BPA, a chemical so powerful that at extremely low levels – parts per billion or even parts per trillion – it can cross the placenta and alter the mammary gland of the developing fetus, increasing breast cancer risk later in life.” See FoodNavigator-USA.com and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 28, 2009.
