Study Shows BPA-Free Plastic Comes With Reproductive Issues in Mice Trials
A new study found that BPA-free plastic is not that safe as previously considered. Considering the plastic is used in food containers and plastic bottles, it’s a concerning find.
The research is still in its early phase and found in trials on mice subjects that the chemicals in BPA-free plastics can interfere with the reproductive system.
BPA was found to be a health risk decades ago – it could present properties which mimicked estrogen, affecting fertility and many other things.
However, a Washington State University study led by Professor Patricia Hunt found that common BPA replacements also come with downsides. Hunt was involved in the earliest BPA health research two decades ago.
The BPA-free Plastic Research on Mice
The study had mice housed in plastic cages. Hunt used them as control animals in other studies and found out that the BPA-free plastic that contained bisphenol S instead of bisphenol A was causing some problems.
Hunt explained that the BPS plastic is more stable, “but it induced similar effects on the process of making eggs and sperm. Importantly, when we tested the chemicals in controlled experiments, we got similar results for each of them.”
The team found that both male and female mice had problems producing sperm and eggs. The most important find was that BPS wasn’t the only replacement that came with similar results. Others like BPF, BPAF, and diphenyl sulfone showed the same risk.
The team pointed out that the current chemical regulations allow replacing “a chemical of concern with structural analogs,” a much easier and cost effective method than finding the attributes that make that chemical dangerous.
The study concludes that these “findings add to growing evidence of the biological risks posed by this class of chemicals.”
Nonetheless, it’s too early to say that BPA alternatives are damaging to humans, but research will surely continue, now that researchers have drawn the attention to the current safeguards.
Doris’s passion for writing started to take shape in college where she was editor-in-chief of the college newspaper. Even though she ended up working in IT for more than 7 years, she’s now back to what he always enjoyed doing. With a true passion for technology, Doris mostly covers tech-related topics.
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