Polycarbonate Bottle Use and Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations

Abstract

BackgroundBisphenol A (BPA) is a high-production-volume chemical commonly used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic. Low-level concentrations of BPA in animals and possibly in humans may cause endocrine disruption. Whether ingestion of food or beverages from polycarbonate containers increases BPA concentrations in humans has not been studied.ObjectivesWe examined the association between use of polycarbonate beverage containers and urinary BPA concentrations in humans.MethodsWe conducted a nonrandomized intervention of 77 Harvard College students to compare urinary BPA concentrations collected after a washout phase of 1 week to those taken after an intervention week during which most cold beverages were consumed from polycarbonate drinking bottles. Paired t-tests were used to assess the difference in urinary BPA concentrations before and after polycarbonate bottle use.ResultsThe geometric mean urinary BPA concentration at the end of the washout phase was 1.2 μg/g creatinine, increasing to 2.0 μg/g creatinine after 1 week of polycarbonate bottle use. Urinary BPA concentrations increased by 69% after use of polycarbonate bottles (p < 0.0001). The association was stronger among participants who reported ≥ 90% compliance (77% increase; p < 0.0001) than among those reporting < 90% compliance (55% increase; p = 0.03), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.54).ConclusionsOne week of polycarbonate bottle use increased urinary BPA concentrations by two-thirds. Regular consumption of cold beverages from polycarbonate bottles is associated with a substantial increase in urinary BPA concentrations irrespective of exposure to BPA from other sources.

4-Nonylphenol, bisphenol-A and triclosan levels in human urine of children and students in China, and the effects of drinking these bottled materials on the levels

“…However, our results are consistent with those of Carwile et al (2009). Urinary BPA had a statistically significant decrease (p b 0.05) when replacing plastic bottled water (7.16 μg/g creatinine) with boiled tap-water (3.49 μg/g creatinine) after the first two weeks, and increased to 4.15 μg/g creatinine after using PC drinking bottle in the third week (Table 4).…”

“…100°C) (Li et al, 2010), thus the test conditions used in the present study were closer to the situations in real life. This could be the reason that the GM concentrations of urinary BPA in the present study (3.49-7.16 μg/g creatinine) are higher than those of Carwile et al (2009) (1.2-2.0 μg/g creatinine). Therefore, drinking bottle materials and habits could affect BPA levels in urine.…”

“…In the three-week test on the influence of drinking bottles, ceramic cups were used instead of stainless steel cups as used in Carwile et al (2009), since most Chinese people used ceramic cups more often. However, our results are consistent with those of Carwile et al (2009).…”

“…Since BPA was reported to be released from polycarbonate bottles (Le et al, 2008;Li et al, 2010;Vandenberg et al, 2007), these changed levels of urinary BPA may indicate that drinking plastic bottled water or using PC bottles would probably increase the ingestion of BPA. In the study of Carwile et al (2009), they just assessed the impact of using PC bottles on cold beverages, but did not count for heating factors on PC bottles. The released BPA from PC bottles increased with water temperature, especially at the high temperature (e.g.…”

Urinary, Circulating, and Tissue Biomonitoring Studies Indicate Widespread Exposure to Bisphenol A

“…The authors developed a method that was fairly sensitive [limit of detection (LOD) = 0.12 ng/mL]; concentrations of unconjugated BPA were < LOD, and concentrations of BPA glucuronide ranged from 0.11 to 0.51 ng/mL. After this initial examination in pooled urine, more than a dozen additional small studies examined urinary BPA concentrations and/or its metabolites in < 100 adults each (Arakawa et al 2004;Carwile et al 2009;García-Prieto et al 2008;Joskow et al 2006;Kawaguichi et al 2005;Kim et al 2003;Liu et al 2005;Mao et al 2004;Matsumoto et al 2003;Moors et al 2007;Nepomnaschy et al 2009;Ouichi and Watanabe 2002;Schöringhumer and Cichna-Markl 2007;Tsukioka et al 2003;Volkel et al 2005;Yang et al 2003;Ye et al 2005aYe et al , 2005b (Table 1). Although these studies used slightly different methods and different population samples, they overwhelmingly detected BPA or its conjugates in urine.…”