Europe Proposes Large Reduction in Use of Bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical that has been used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastic. BPA is a known endocrine disruptor and has been linked to causing reproductive and neurological problems. Most recently, BPA has also been associated with causing dysfunction of neutrophils at high doses, potentially leading to immunodeficiency disorders.¹ Most human exposure is a direct result of food and beverage consumption, as BPA has been used as a major component in plastics used to manufacture food and beverage containers.

In a December 2021 publication, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposed a reduction of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of BPA by a factor of 100,000.² The proposed change came from assessing literature studies published from 2013-2018 on the effects of BPA on the immune system, as well as the results of a 2014 initiative by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Durham, North Carolina, to merge academic and government methods to address data gaps, as well as provide a new model for assessing chemical safety of BPA.^2,3 The findings of the literature reviews and NIEHS initiative support EFSA’s proposal to reduce the TDI of BPA for humans from 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day, to 0.04 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day. EFSA is hoping to have the revised limit instituted by December 2022.⁴

The tremendous decrease in TDI levels will likely require much more sensitive analytical detection methods, where the utilization of internal standards would provide increased precision and quantification options. CIL offers stable isotope-labeled and native BPA standards, as well as many other bisphenol and bisphenol-related derivatives to assist researchers performing analysis of bisphenols in food, water, and environmental samples.

References

1. Effect of bisphenol A on human neutrophils immunophenotype. Nature, 2021. Read more.
2. Bisphenol A: EFSA draft opinion proposes lowering the tolerable daily intake. European Food Safety Authority, 2021. Read more.
3. Bisphenol A (BPA) initiatives. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2018. Read more.
4. Europe proposes drastic cuts of BPA, a hormone disruptor found in plastics and food. Science, 2022. Read more.