In an article published on February 25, 2015 in the magazine National Geographic, journalist Brian Clark Howard reports on a new study raising concerns about potential cardiac toxicity of bisphenol S (BPS, CAS 80-09-1). BPS, a replacement for bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7), has been shown to exhibit almost a comparable endocrine activity as BPA (FPF reported). In their new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Gao and colleagues of the University of Cincinnati, U.S. investigated the potential adverse impacts of BPS on the cardiovascular system of rats. The researchers removed the rats’ hearts and preserved them in a solution containing oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients. Then they added BPS and monitored its effects. The results show that low-dose exposure to BPS caused irregular beat in the hearts of female, but not male rats. The researchers observed changes in how the female rats’ cardiac cells respond to estrogen upon BPS exposure. Similar effects were previously observed for BPA, says Hong-Sheng Wang, lead author of the study. Potential human health impacts from using BPS-containing products have not yet been investigated. The authors conclude that evaluation of safety of BPS as well other BPA analogs is essential before they are used as BPA alternatives in consumer products.
Read more
Brian Clark Howard (February 25, 2015). “Chemical in BPA-free products linked to irregular heartbeats.” National Geographic
Reference
Gao, X. et al. (2015). “Rapid responses and mechanism of action for low-dose bisphenol S on ex vivo rat hearts and isolated myocytes: evidence of female-specific proarrhythmic effects.” Environmental Health Perspectives (published online February 26, 2015, open access).
