Human Health Risk on Environmental Exposure to Bisphenol-A: A Review

Abstract

Bisphenol-A (BPA), identified as an environmental hormone (i.e., endocrine disruptor), is an industrially important chemical that is being used as a primary raw material for the production of engineering plastics (e.g., polycarbonate/epoxy resins), food cans (i.e., lacquer coatings), and dental composites/sealants. From the ecotoxicology, human health and regulatory points of view, it is urgent to restrict the emissions and releases of the estrogenic chemical from the industrial processes and commercial products. This article reviews BPA in the current literature in terms of physiochemical properties, industrial/commercial uses, environmental distributions in the atmospheric/aquatic/terrestrial phases, possible human toxicity, and its exposure standards and limits. Emphasis is put on the most significant distribution in the aquatic environment, and occupational and non-occupational human exposures. Overall, it is strongly convinced that BPA is not a carcinogenic risk to humans, and is also rapidly glucuronidated and excreted through the route of urine.

Key Words:

• Bisphenol-A
• Environmental Distribution
• Exposure Risk
• Human Toxicity
• Exposure Limit

Notes

^a Taken from the Chemical Week, 24 Sep. 2003 (7).

^b It was reported that several new bisphenol-A plants are being planned to build in China, which will add a total capacity of 175,000 metric tons/year in the next few years.

^c Modified by adding the production capacity (135 thousand metric ton) of Chang Chun Petrochemical Group in 2004.

^a Data from the Directorate General of Customs (Ministry of Finance, Taiwan) (13).

^b Including the primary form, and other forms (i.e., plate, sheet, strip, film, or foil).

^a RTECS: Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances; ICSC: International Chemical Safety Cards; HSDB: Hazardous Substances Data Bank; EINECS: European INventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances Data Bank.

^a On a basis of dry weight.