the judgment of The General court of the European Union was clear: The plasticizer Bisphenol A (BPA) continues to be treated as a “substance of very high concern” to state the judges this summer. They rejected a complaint by the industry Association Plastics Europe, had challenged the assessment of the chemical, and confirmed, instead, the assessment of the European chemicals Agency, had determined to BPA in 2016, as “toxic for reproduction”.
Bisphenol A is one of the “endocrine disruptors”, those materials, which is attributed to a hormone-altering effect. In numerous studies it has been documented that BPA interfere with the hormonal system and in addition to the influence on fertility or brain development, such as Obesity, growth disorders, or mental illness can cause. This is the conclusion report of the world health organization (WHO) or the European food safety authority (Efsa) also. And, although still controversial is, what is the amount of the substance is not harmful, it is doubtful the General hormonal activity of BPA and not much more.
Accordingly, it is banished from products more and more. The Label “BPA-free”, often found on water bottles, is generally regarded as a quality feature. Through which substance BPA, however, has been replaced, the is not usually. In the meantime, the industry is using instead of BPA, for example, Alternatives such as Bisphenol F (BPF), or Bisphenol S (BPS) is increasingly for the production of various plastic products, flame retardants or coatings. Also in food packaging and thermal papers, such as receipts come in, BPF, and BPS to use. However, these Alternatives are less harmful?
replacement substances are found in the urine of Overweight
a recent study published in the “Journal of the Endocrine Society,” suggests, these chemicals have a hormone-altering effect. “Replacing BPA by BPS or BPF, does not reduce the health hazards at all,” says study author Melanie Jacobson from the NYU School of Medicine in New York, said in a statement. In conjunction with other researchers, Jacobson, compared with more than 1800Probanden at the age of 6 to 19Jahren the concentration of BPS and BPF in the urine with the Body Mass Index. For this, the researchers on data from the national health and nutrition statistics of the United States handles. The conclusion of the scientists: Who had a higher concentration of BPS and BPF in the urine, which suffered from a higher probability of being Overweight.
For Joëlle Rüegg, the result of the study is no Surprise. She is a Professor of environmental toxicology at the Swedish University in Uppsala and the research itself, for many years the health consequences of hormone-altering chemicals. She knows, therefore, but also the weaknesses of such studies: “What you have to remember in these publications, always, is the question of cause and effect. From the study it is not clear whether the obesity of the subjects to the increased Bisphenol-based concentrations, or whether they have due to their obesity to higher values, because of the consumption of, for example, increasingly with Bisphenol offset food.”
BPF and BPS are structurally very similar to BPA, and also the mechanisms of action in the body differ only slightly.To Joëlle Rüegg, Toxikologin in Uppsala
for the evaluation of the hazard potential of a substance essential distinction to make, need it so-called longitudinal data. The were in the present case studies, in which the urine of the subjects were studied on exposure to Chemicals before they developed phenotypic characteristics such as obesity, explains the researcher.
In such a yet unpublished longitudinal study by Rüegg with other researchers, was able to show the negative influence of endocrine disruptors on brain development. The supposedly better Alternatives, BPF, and BPS had similar, sometimes even stronger effects as BPA. For Rüegg, the result was not unexpected: “BPF and BPS are structurally very similar to BPA, and also the mechanisms of action in the body differ only slightly,” says the researcher. It is therefore obvious that they would have a similar hazard potential.
Bisphenols occur from the packaging into the food
Especially hormone are dangerous-altering substances for unborn children. In numerous studies, a direct correlation between the chemical exposure of the mother and later health of the child could be detected. The Pregnant elevated levels of BPA or other similar chemicals in the urine, occurred in the children, increased Obesity, Diabetes, or mental illness. “Especially in the fetal stages hormones play a fundamental role, for example, for the brain development or the formation of the sexual organs,” says Joëlle Rüegg. It was “very troubling” that BPS, BPF, or other chemicals that interfere with these hormones are in pregnant women undetectable.
“in simple terms, it should be ensured that women come into pregnancy with endocrine disruptors in contact,” says the Toxikologin. Only: This is simply impossible. Basically, hormone-altering chemicals are ubiquitous in the environment, even in the Arctic components were found in some substances. In addition to phenol-like Compounds such as BPA active substances, phthalates, perfluorinated chemicals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons but also heavy metals such as Cadmium or lead, as well as naturally occurring phytoestrogens, for example, isoflavones are one of the hormone. Substances, you are part of the art, electric items, cosmetic products or textile, be used as a building material and solvent in industry, or act as pesticides.
cashiers with high BPA levels in the blood
The supposedly greatest danger for the people to come up with endocrine disruptors in contact, according to the European food authority on the food. For example, numerous food are offset packaging with BPA, the substance is not chemically bonded, and so the food can be delivered. Particularly easily, the chemicals are released when the packaging is heated.
are Also harmless, according to the Efsa ticket or tickets. These are often made from thermal paper comprises a base paper and phenol, most of the BPA is coated. In the case of heat, this coating will change the color, whereby the paper is printed. It holds the paper in the Hand, can release BPA, and through the skin into the body.
scientists from the “Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center” showed 2014 in a study that in the case of cashiers, the concentration of BPA in the blood is greatly increased. In 2016, the EU has brought a law, according to which a receipt a maximum of 0.02 percent BPA may contain what is practically a ban. Legally binding, the law is only starting from 2020. However, many companies have to roll your cash register already changed – and Bisphenol A with Bisphenol S to be replaced.
Created: 21.11.2019, at 18:56
