Plastic Food Containers Still Potentially Harmful
Posted on: Monday, 8 September 2008, 14:05 CDT
Scientists announced this week new evidence that small quantities of bisphenol, or BPA, a widely used chemical used to make plastic food and drinking containers, can harm the brain function in primates, which extends the previous discovery of research behavior in rats.
Whether any amount of the chemical that leaches from containers into food signifies an environmental hazard is a controversial subject.
Study investigator Tibor Hajszan said in a press release from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut that "Our primate model indicates that BPA could negatively affect brain function in humans."
Hajszan and colleagues observed the power of incessant exposure to BPA at a daily dose on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency's reference harmless limit per day or 50 micrograms per kilogram, present in adolescent African green monkeys.
In a report this week, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the BPA completely eliminated the configuration of several nerve connections in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, two regions of the brain.
"Based on these findings, we think the EPA may wish to consider lowering its 'safe daily limit' for human BPA consumption," Hajszan continues.
These scientific discoveries have "profound implications," the investigators uphold. These remain significant based on the critical role of the nerve connections in cognition and mood.
---
On the Net:
Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
Related Articles
- Stress May Cause Brain To Become Disconnected
- Study: Rich Nations Aiding 'Brain Drain'
- HIV Thins Regions of the Brain
- Deep Sleep Short-Circuits Brain's Connective Grid
- Bigger brained birds do better, study says
- High Doses of Vitamin E Boost Rat Survival Rate 40%; Brain Function, Neuromuscular Gains
- Bad Investment? Blame Your Brain
- Brain Regions Link Asthma and Emotions
- Schiavo Autopsy Shows Massive Brain Damage
- Brain Tumor Treatment Guidelines Not Always Followed
 |
 |
User Comments (3)
| 3. |
Posted by John- Facts on PET on 09/16/2008, 14:23 I think it’s important to clarify that when it comes to food containers, BPA is found in polycarbonate bottles. Most single-serve plastic bottles people use every day – such as those for water, soft drinks and juices – are made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), designated by the recycling symbol “1,” which does not contain BPA. PET is safe and recyclable; polycarbonate, on the other hand, is made with BPA and is designated by the symbol “7”. The picture that accompanies this story is misleading because it depicts several PET bottles rather than BPA containers. The caption should be clarified that the bottles of water shown in the picture are in fact all PET plastic bottles and are not those that have been linked to diabetes. www.factsonpet.com contains information on this subject that may be useful. I would hope that future stories on this topic mention how readers can identify polycarbonate bottles based on the recycling code and would choose images that accurately reflect the news at hand. |
| 2. |
Posted by Rachel on 09/08/2008, 16:18 I would love to hear/read about some alternatives to these plastic containers that are still easy to carry around at work or school. |
| 1. |
Posted by jjtogether on 09/08/2008, 15:34 THIS STORIE IS AWSOME |
RSS Feeds