Determination of Bisphenol A in Urine From Mother–Child Pairs—Results From the Duisburg Birth Cohort Study, Germany

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) may alter endocrine functions, and human exposure is widespread. In the Duisburg birth cohort study the influence of several contaminants was examined on the neuropsychological and pubertal development of children. This study reports the biomonitoring results on BPA within the 6-yr follow-up study (children´s age 6–8 yr). Total BPA and free (unconjugated) BPA concentrations in 208 urine samples of 104 mother–child pairs were measured. For quality control, total BPA was analyzed by two independent laboratories. BPA was detected in all urine samples, while free BPA was observed above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in only 33 samples. Total BPA concentrations were significantly associated between the two laboratories. BPA concentrations (median; range) tended to be higher in children than in mothers but the difference was not significant. Total BPA levels in children and mothers correlated at low levels but significantly to each other. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed positive associations between creatinine and the BPA concentrations and a negative association with German nationality (mothers only). Evidence indicates that BPA exposure is omnipresent but levels in mother–child pairs are low. Only small amounts (less than 16%) were detectable as free (unconjugated) BPA. Analytical reliability is high even at such low levels, provided that external contamination is minimized.

Acknowledgments

We thank the German Federal Environment Agency for financial support, and we are grateful to the children and mothers who participated in the study. Further, we acknowledge the LANUV, NRW, which supported the initial period of the study.