Urinary Concentrations of Bisphenols and Their Association with Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in People Living Near E-Waste Recycling Facilities in China

Abstract

In this study, concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) and seven other bisphenols (BPs) were measured in urine samples collected from people living in and around e-waste dismantling facilities, and in matched reference population from rural and urban areas in China. BPA, bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol F (BPF) were frequently detected (detection frequencies: > 90%) in urine samples collected from individuals who live near e-waste facilities, with geometric mean (GM) concentrations of 2.99 (or 3.75), 0.361 (or 0.469), and 0.349 (or 0.435) ng/mL (or μg/g Cre), respectively; the other five BPs were rarely found in urine samples, regardless of the sampling location. The urinary concentrations of BPA and BPF, but not BPS, were significantly higher in individuals from e-waste recycling locations than did individuals from a rural reference location. Our findings indicated that e-waste dismantling activities contribute to human exposure to BPA and BPF. 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was measured in urine as a marker of oxidative stress. In the e-waste dismantling location, urinary 8-OHdG was significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.001) with urinary BPA and BPS, but not BPF; a similar correlation was also observed in reference sites. These findings suggest that BPA and BPS exposures are associated with elevated oxidative stress.

Exposure to Bisphenol A, Bisphenol F, and Bisphenol S in U.S. Adults and Children: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2014

“… 32 Median BPF levels of 0.365 μg/L (<LOD to 8.68 μg/L; N = 116) were observed in a Chinese population living near an E-waste-dismantling area. 59 These levels are comparable to the levels observed in the adult NHANES 2013–2014 population in this study ( Table 1 ). Median BPS levels in this study (0.37 μg/L) were higher than BPS levels (median 0.191 μg/L, <LOD to 21.0 μg/L; N = 315) observed in urine samples collected from 2010 to 2011 in several Asian countries, including China, India, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Vietnam.…”

“… 32 Levels of 2.99 μg/L (0.233–27.6 μg/L; N = 116) were reported for a more highly exposed population living near an E-waste-dismantling area in China. 59 …”

POHaD: why we should study future fathers

“…This suggests that a ‘cocktail’ of chemicals from the environment—which is realistic in our current daily environment—increases the risk of aberrant methylation in male germ cells. Interestingly, exposures to EDCs have also been shown to alter fatty acid composition and decrease anti-oxidant enzyme level in the testis [ 67 ], inducing oxidative stress [ 68 ] and ultimately affecting spermatogenesis [ 69 ]. Occupational exposures to bisphenol A was also shown to impact global sperm DNA methylation in humans [ 70 ].…”

The BPA-substitute bisphenol S alters the transcription of genes related to endocrine, stress response and biotransformation pathways in the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae)

“…In rodents, BPS decreased body weight [ 14 ], induced oxidative stress and morphological alterations in the male reproductive system [ 15 ], and affected transcription of genes related to the dopamine-serotonin systems [ 16 ]. In zebrafish, BPS altered the embryonic nervous and endocrine systems [ 17 ], and induced developmental and reproductive abnormalities [ 18 ]. In vitro studies have found that BPS induces morphological and biochemical alterations in different types of human blood cells, alters the meiotic cycle of porcine oocytes, and has weak estrogenic activity [ 19 – 21 ].…”