Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
is being voluntarily phased out in can liners by a few of the manufacturers
( Fig. 7.3 ) . Analogous compounds such as BPS, BPF, and BPB, might be used
in its place in several of the applications. However, the potential adverse
effects of these substitute compounds (Bittner et al., 2014) have also not
beenstudiedindetailandlong-term effectofexposuretothesealsoremains
essentially unknown.
Figure 7.3 Baby bottles and can liners may leach polycarbonate into food.
7.2.5 Contrary Viewpoint on BPA
There are also some expert opinions to the contrary (Hengstler et al., 2011;
Teeguarden and Hanson-Drury, 2013; Teeguarden et al., 2011) that
maintain the concerns on human health hazards of BPA to be exaggerated
as some of these are based on animal studies. 7 Critics also point out that
some of the key studies were not repeatable (Sharpe, 2009) and the levels of
exposures are minimal (Calafat et al., 2008). Also, some of the BPA studies
do not show the low-dose effects (Tinwell et al., 2002) or intergenerational
effects (Tyl et al., 2002) claimed by others. The controversy still continues;
in 2013, Teeguarden et al. (2013) reported that based on a sample of 150
adultsexposedtohighdietarylevelsofBPA,theserumlevelsofthechemical
were too low to be even detected, while 84-97% of the dosage was in the
urine. Since BPA is readily conjugated in the liver, unconjugated levels in
the blood tend to be very low (Teeguarden et al., 2011) and implies high
clearance rates of BPA from the body.
Government agencies in the United States, Canada, and Europe are in
general agree that using PC in food-contact applications is safe as the levels
of BPA that leach out into the food are well below that believed to pose a
credible health risk. The WHO/FAO (2010) and the European Food Safety
Authority (2011), German Society of Toxicology and Japan's Research
 
 
 
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