Your Nalgene ain't the water bottle of your dreams

Justin says:

So I was procrastinating by reading old issues of JAMA [ama-assn.org] when I came across a review article [ama-assn.org] (Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Probed as Potential Pathways to Illness). Here’s the significant part:

Another substance under scrutiny is the estrogenic compound bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in products like baby bottles, food containers, and dental sealants […]

While the plastics industry has described BPA as highly durable, scientists like Frederick vom Saal, PhD, contend that under everyday conditions, BPA in products like polycarbonate plastic containers and tin cans leaches into food and beverages. “A number of studies show that structural damage to a variety of organs occurs as a result of fetal exposure to very low doses of bisphenol A,” added vom Saal, professor of biological sciences at University of Missouri-Columbia. “When BPA in the low parts per trillion range is in contact with human or animal cells, it will alter cell function. The range of human exposure is as much as 100 to 1000 times higher than this.”

In a recent study, estrogenic chemicals including BPA (10 µg/kg per day) were fed to pregnant mice, a dose that is lower than the typical exposure in pregnant women. Researchers found that BPA was associated with prostate changes in the developing fetal mouse that are predictive of an increased risk of cancer later in life (Timms et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005;102:7014-7019).

A separate animal study, published on May 26 in the online edition of Endocrinology, evaluated perinatal exposure to very low doses of BPA and the effect of this compound on pubertal development of the mammary gland. The study found persistent changes in mammary gland morphogenesis that may be suggestive of an increased risk of breast cancer. Study coauthor Ana M. Soto, PhD, professor in the department of anatomy and cellular biology at Tufts University School of Medicine, said that these findings are “particularly worrisome since the incidence of breast cancer has increased in the developed world and has increased parallel to the introduction of endocrine disruptors such as BPA into the environment.”

BPA is used as a binder for plastic products - and has been shown to leech into food products even when the container is new. Of course there’s just no way to avoid using plastic food containers these days, but now might be a good time to rethink using em on a day to day basis for carrying liquids - which tend to leech BPA out at a much higher concentration than, say, contract transfer to solids. Heating and using harsh detergents makes the leeching worse. I guess mom was right; putting hot liquids in plastic is bad for you.

I just can’t figure out a good way to carry water around without those handy nalgene containers or plastic water bottles… Will have to remember to investigate in my free time.