...LITERATURE REVIEW http://suite101.com/article/xeno-estrogens-in-water-bottles-disrupting-male-and-female-hormon-a232123 A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that participants who drank for a week from polycarbonate bottles -- the popular, hard-plastic drinking bottles and baby bottles -- showed a two-thirds increase in their urine of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to BPA, used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and other plastics, has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans. The study is the first to show that drinking from polycarbonate bottles increased the level of urinary BPA, and thus suggests that drinking containers made with BPA release the chemical into the liquid that people drink in sufficient amounts to increase the level of BPA excreted in human urine. In addition to polycarbonate bottles, which are refillable and a popular container among students, campers and others and are also used as baby bottles, BPA is also found in dentistry composites and sealants and in the lining of aluminum food and beverage cans. (In bottles, polycarbonate can be identified by the recycling number 7.) Numerous studies have shown that it acts as an endocrine-disruptor in animals, including early onset of sexual maturation, altered development and tissue organization of the mammary gland and decreased sperm production in offspring. It may...
Words: 4065 - Pages: 17
...Geo 200 Rachel Slocum May 8, 2012 Bisphenol A By: Derek Dolgner Health is a reoccurring concern in today’s world. One key component to optimal health is a proper diet. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that can be found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are used in the production of “food and drink packaging such as water and infant bottles, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical devices. Epoxy resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. Some dental sealants and composites may also contribute to BPA exposure.” However, the main source of BPA exposure is due to diet as it can be absorbed into food and drinks. Many do not realize what BPA is and many are consuming higher daily intake than what is considered to be safe. The EPA states that human consumption of BPA can be as high as 110 micrograms per pound of bodyweight a day. BPA originally was created as an estrogen substitute and can bind to “estrogen, the male hormone, and the thyroid hormone.” The body’s ability to excrete this chemical compound in the urine and prevent the circulation into the blood stream is due to lysosomes digestion and detoxifying qualities found in the liver. An important question is raised. Is the liver able to excrete this chemical completely? Or..is it being circulated into the blood stream where important developmental hormones can be affected? I believe BPA at some rate bypasses...
Words: 713 - Pages: 3
...BPA has been used for over 40 years for hardening various products. It’s found in plastic bottles, sippy cups, food cans, medical devices, DVDs, etc. This chemical is a colorless, crystalline solid, organic compound that hardens plastic during manufacturing. As for the environment, there isn’t much controversy; BPA rapidly biodegrades in the environment. There are no adverse environment effects, but there is a problem with this chemical that lies somewhere else. Exposure to humans results from the use of plastics, BPA gets off from the plastic or the coating of food containers and enters the body and into the bloodstream. Over half of the population has some level of BPA in their bodies. There are various, potential health hazards when too...
Words: 329 - Pages: 2
...Colorado Technical University SCI 101 Phase 2 DB Jessica Ortiz November 26th, 2014 Instructor: Reginald Jackson Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a carbon based synthetic compound with the chemical formula. Belonging to the group of diphenylmethane derivatives and bisemous with two hydroxyphenyl groups. BPA is a chemical used in all plastic items. It is used to harder the plastic and keep them light. It is regulated by the U.S. FDA. It plays a huge role in the modern world. It is used in everything made with plastic now days. It is used to make our lives easier, healthier, and safer. There has been no known health risks found yet. BPA’s are only dangerous if used in extremely high exposures. But it poses no known risks to human health. U.S. FDA stands for the Food and Drug Administration. It is an agency with in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA’s current perspective on BPA is safe at the current levels occurring in food and beverage containers. Based on the following key points BPA is not carcinogenic. It does not affect the reproduction or development of people. The estimated dietary intake is extremely low. The potential human exposure to BPA is more than 400 times lower than the maximum acceptable. Polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins are recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They have not done any damage to the environment either. They are biodegradable. The government isn’t involved in anything pertaining to BPA’s...
Words: 324 - Pages: 2
...EPOXY RESIN A Technical Report Presented to Prof. Jaime Dilidili Department of Management College of Economics, Management and Development Studies Cavite State University Indang, Cavite In partial fulfillment of the requirements in CENG 28 (Materials of Engineering) ERJHON C. DINGLASAN October 2015 ABSTRACT Knowledge of the materials has always been necessary for those who design. With today’s stringent demand on quality regarding manufacture, materials and execution, it is often assumed that purchasers, architects and contractors posses the necessary knowledge of that with which they work. This paper described one of the commonly used engineering materials nowadays. Epoxy resin which is routinely used as adhesives, coating encapsulates, casting materials, potting compounds and binders. INTRODUCTION Epoxy resins were first commercialized in 1946 and are widely used in industry as protective coatings and for structural applications, such as laminates and composites, tooling, molding, casting, bonding and adhesives, and others. The ability of the epoxy ring to react with a variety of substrates gives the epoxy resins versatility. Treatment with curing agents gives insoluble and intractable thermoset polymers. Some of the characteristics of epoxy resins are high chemical and corrosion resistance, good mechanical and thermal properties, outstanding adhesion to various substrates, low shrinkage upon cure, good electrical insulating properties, and...
Words: 6511 - Pages: 27
...You’ve been out — working, exercising, and shopping. You open the car door and slip into the ovenlike interior. Throat dry, you reach for the water bottle that’s been sitting in the cup holder all day. It’s warm. But at least it’s water, right? Water,yes, water potentially spiked with chemicals that migrated out of the plastic — chemicals that aren’t good for your health. Today I’m going to introduce you to BPA, reasons they are considered dangerous and how to avoid the risks. BPA (Bisphenol-A) is a mass produced chemical used in the manufacture of plastics 2.3 Billion tonnes every year by FDA (Food & Drug Administration of USA). It is found in plastic food and drink packaging, such as baby bottles and sports bottles, and as a liner in canned food and drinks and storage containers (drinking water bottles, polysterene). European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reported that exposure to the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) could damage health, particularly among vulnerable groups such as babies and pregnant women.Bisphenol-A (BPA) is the chemical in plastic which can mimic the action of natural human hormones (Female hormone). These foreign hormones can upset normal hormonal balance, stimulate the growth and development of reproductive tumors (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility (in males- lower sperm count), and disrupt pregnancy. Worse, many can cross the placenta to affect the fetus and get into breast milk. REDUCE buying plastic made food container. Switch to a stainless...
Words: 396 - Pages: 2
...Some chemicals are toxic in human bodies and that is why chemical-specific legislations are becoming increasingly common across the country. Legislations seek to regulate production and selling of products containing such harmful chemicals in interstate commerce efficiently regulating those products nationwide. Products containing phthalates, mercury, brominated flame retardants, and many other chemicals have been the subject of such bills but products containing bisphenol A (BPA) have attracted most attention in 2009 (Beveridge & Diamond, 2009). BPA is a monomer used to manufacture various everyday products. Research has found out that BPA is toxic on humans and products containing BPA leach a significant amount of BPA to their users. This paper gives a brief introduction of BPA, describes the debate surrounding its safety, and analysis information gathered by “the work group for safe markets” on BPA leaching from popular baby bottles. It is presumed that food and beverages from containers manufactured with BPA are harmful since BPA leaches into them and should be avoided. Uses of BPA and its Toxicology BPA is a monomer commonly used in the production of epoxy resins, polycarbonate plastic, among other uses (Association of Plastics Manufacturers). These products are in turn used to manufacture everyday products such as baby bottles, sports bottles and sippy cups (using polycarbonates); and the inner linings of containers for food and beverage packaging (using epoxy resins)...
Words: 2276 - Pages: 10
...shore, thousands of birds corpses can be seen with plastic remaining where the stomach once was. The durability of the plastics is visible amongst the remains. In some instances, the plastic piles are still present while the bird's corpse has decayed.[4] As a result of plastic ingestion, the digestive tract can be blocked resulting in starvation. The windpipe can also be blocked, which results in suffocation.[4] The debris can also accumulate in the animal’s gut, and give them a false sense of fullness which would also result in starvation. Effects on animals Similar to humans, animals exposed to plasticizers can experience developmental defects. Specifically, sheep have been found to have lower birth weights when prenatally exposed to bisphenol A. Exposure to BPA can shorten the distance between the eyes of a tadpole. It can also stall development in frogs and can result in a...
Words: 1659 - Pages: 7
...Maria D. Velazquez Introduction to the Sciences Prof. Talley My selected chemical is BPA. So, let’s start by talking what is BPA is a chemical that is added to plastic to harden them while keeping them light. BPA plays the role as an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are used in the containers of what we eat and drink. Epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of metal products, such as food cans, bottle tops and water supply lines. Some dental sealants and composites also may contain BPA. Research shows that BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with BPA. Exposure to BPA is a concern because of possible health effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. BPA is part of our modern world because is everywhere, water bottles, veggies cans, milk gallons, baby bottles, even in medicine bottles. The funny part is that 90% of us has BPA in our bodies. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that BPA is safe at the very low levels that occur in some foods. This assessment is based on review of hundreds of studies. But in 2010 the FDA changed their position because with the standardize test they can’t find evident conclusion, then again the problem is that other independent studies show the harms of BPA, and this is how they raise “some concern”....
Words: 561 - Pages: 3
...Bisphensol A and It’s Side Effects to the Nervous and Endocrine System Anatomy and Physiology 201 November 7, 2012 Abstract Bisphensol A (BPA) is a synthetic compound that is used to produce plastics. This chemical has been used to make plastics since the 1950’s. BPA is made from chemicals that mimic the sex hormone “Estradiol.” Estradiol is a sex hormone found in both female and male. Therefore, BPA is known to be an endocrine disruptor; it is a compound that exits everywhere in the environment and also in the human body. There have been many meetings with the discussion of studies about BPA causing numerous diseases to the human body. These meetings were held with a diverse collection of researchers which include: wildlife biologists, endocrinologists, reproductive physiologists, and toxicologists. The endocrine system is one of the organ systems dedicated to maintaining internal coordination of the human body, which communicates by means of chemical messenger or hormones secreted into the blood. New research has been exposed to show that a low dose of BPA has an association to adverse health effects, which include reproductive abnormalities, obesity, neurobehavioral problems, prostate and breast cancer. Bisphensol A and The Nervous and Endocrine System Bisphensol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical that is used to produce plastics. This chemical has been used to make plastics since the 1950’s. BPA is made from chemicals that mimic the sex hormone estradiol...
Words: 2245 - Pages: 9
...Consumers expect many things to determine the quality of a product, take for instance, bottled water. Consumers will evaluate based on the following questions: Does it taste good? Is it safe for me and my family? Does its cost reflect its value? Bottled water may score a “yes” in one of those three questions; it tastes good. The reason this product scores so low in product quality is the container it’s packaged in may leach harmful chemicals, the water, itself, also contains harmful chemicals that are not regulated properly, and bottled water is expensive. The ever-so-popular plastic bottle may be the worst part of the product. Over 20 years ago consumers got a big scare because plastic was made from a carbon-based synthetic called Bisphenol A (BPA). Manufacturers quickly changed the process and started listing products as BPA free to sway consumers in believing their product was safe. Now we are faced with a new plastic problem. Water bottles, today, are mainly made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). An article in Environmental Health Perspectives (Sax, 2010) cites recent reports indicating bottles made of this substance may leach endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors pose significant health risks to consumers. The endocrine is the hormone system in mammals. These disruptors can cause cancerous tumors, learning disabilities, birth defects, and more. Any part...
Words: 964 - Pages: 4
...What’s in My Water Bottle? A Question of Environmental Estrogens Janna R. McLean Colorado State University Christy Copeland Keisha Davis Gulad Abdi Lucretia Biery Biology 1308 Professor Childress What’s In My Water Bottle? A Question of Environmental Estrogens The overall topic of Janna R. Mclean’s case study “What’s In My Water Bottle?” revolves around the question of whether or not chemicals used to make plastic containers are a health hazard to humans. A particular focus is placed on whether the chemical ingredient in polycarbonate and polysulfone plastic called Bisphenol A, BPA abbreviated, act as estrogen and effect estrogen levels. Research is continually being conducted since possibly harmful BPA is found in almost 90% of plastic containers ( ). Although many shelved plastic products are labeled BPA-Free, plastic containers still run the risk of leaking harmful BPA into drinking water and food when BPA is broken down by exposure to heat ( ). Research has not yet proven how BPA is harmful; That is to say, definitive results have not shown whether BPA directly causes cancer, or if BPA is a catalyst for cancer cell replication. Regardless of how BPA is harmful, the possibility of poisonous contamination to all plastic exposed products poses a threat to human health and has resulted in case studies like Mclean’s “What’s in My Water Bottle?” Mclean’s case study addresses multiple experiments that are conducted to determine how much BPA is in certain plastics, and...
Words: 2127 - Pages: 9
... BISMUTH Have you ever taken Pepto Bismol? If you answered yes, you have ingested Bismuth. Bismuth is used in many things due to how versatile the element is. It ranges from medicines to helping deal with radioactive waste. It is found in so many common everyday things, and we just do not know it. If bismuth was not around, many of our house hold items would be different. Without bismuth, many of our everyday things will be different. Bismuth has been known since the fifteenth century, but it was officially recorded as an element by french chemist Claude Geoffroy in 1753(chemicool). It was believed to be a different kind of lead until Geoffroy said it was its own element. Bismuth is recognized for being a greyish-white metal with a reddish-pink tint(World Book-Bismuth). People speculate that Bismuth received its name after the german word weissmuth, which means white substance. Bismuth can be found free in nature as bismuth glance and bismite. Bismuth might have the largest deposits, but it is usually found as a by-product when refining lead, copper, tin, silver, and gold ores(World Book-Bismuth). Bismuth is number 83 on the periodic table. It is found in nature as a solid. It weights 208.98 grams. It has 83 protons, 83 electrons, and 126 neutrons in its most stable form. Bismuth has a high boiling point of 1564 degrees celsius, and a melting point of 271.4 degrees celsius(Chemicool). Bismuth’s density at 20 degrees celsius is 9.807 g/cm3. Bismuth is an other metal. What exactly...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...One important fact is that it is not biodegradable, so it will eventually break into very small pieces, but cannot be decomposed by bacteria, fungi, or other living creatures and thus recycled in the environment naturally. This means that plastic may remain in the environment for over 2,000 years. It also contains Bisphenol-A, or BPA, which has toxic building blocks that could potentially be released over time from stresses like heat or excessive washing. If these stresses occur in a landfill, the toxic chemicals can leak into the surrounding ground where they can contaminate groundwater. Plastic Straws in Bodies of Water There are numerous circumstances that result in plastic straws making their way into bodies of water, for example humans intentionally littering or the wind blowing debris out and away from overstuffed trashcans. Marine life is especially susceptible to experiencing the harmful effects of plastic straws being where they should not be, as their small size is conducive to accidental ingestion. This causes death in creatures like fish, turtles...
Words: 1838 - Pages: 8
...Being able to rely on a steady, safe water supply is essential for humans and many other species. For humans, we have the luxury of being able to produce purified bottled water. Bottled water has advantages in relief supply for third world countries, areas hit by natural disasters, and for areas with contaminated water supplies. Overall usage of bottled water has been continually climbing since 1999. As of 2014, the average US citizen consumed 34 gallons of bottled water per year; up from 23 gallons in 2004 (Rodwan, 2015 p. 12). A concern of the increased use of bottled water is the chemicals that are used to make the plastic bottles. Chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and polyethylene terephthalate Bisphenol A is a synthetic organic compound used mainly is producing plastics and epoxy resins used in adhesives and coatings (Bisphenol A (BPA)). Therefore, BPA can be found in many food and drink containers, including baby bottles and also some medical supplies. The epoxy resins it is found in are also used in the lining of main water supply pipes. BPA exposure then is hard to stray clear from as it...
Words: 739 - Pages: 3
