On July 9, 2015 the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology published a study on in vivo and in vitro exposure to bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) from food. Researchers Nataša Milić and colleagues from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, tested morning spot urine for the occurrence of BPA in a relatively small participant group of 145 women to assess in vivo exposure. In 38.6% of samples BPA was detected above the limit of quantification in the range of 0.92-70.96 µg/g creatinine (Cr). The highest frequency of BPA detection was observed in overweight and obese women (body mass index ≥25). Also, urine samples of overweight and obese women showed higher, but statistically not significant, mean BPA concentrations compared to samples from normal weight women. The maximum BPA level of 70.96 µg/g Cr was measured in a urine sample of an obese woman. This indicates that higher BPA exposure could contribute to weight issues in women, the researchers write. Regarding the in vitro exposure assessment, the researchers evaluated cell growth activity in five selected mammalian cell lines. BPA significantly impaired the growth of all investigated cell lines. Cell growth effects of BPA were dose-dependent and EC50 values were reached at low concentrations in the range of 3.24-34.85 µg/mL. The most vulnerable cells were human breast adenocarcinoma and human cervix carcinoma. These results confirm BPA’s high toxicity, the researchers state.
Reference
Milić, N. et al. (2015). “Estimation of in vivo and in vitro exposure to bisphenol A as food contaminant.” Food and Chemical Toxicology 83:268-274.
