Researchers claim previous studies underestimate BPA exposure

Scientists investigating exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) have found evidence that previous research may have underestimated levels of exposure to the chemical, and that it may accumulate more rapidly in the body than previously thought.

US researchers from the University of Missouri compared BPA concentrations in mice that were given a steady diet supplemented with BPA throughout the day to those subjected to the more common lab method of a single exposure. Exposure through a regular, daily diet is a better method to mirror the chronic and continuous exposure to BPA occurring in animals and humans, they say. They found that continuous exposure led to an increased absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood, resulting in higher peak levels of the chemicals.

Lead author Cheryl Rosenfeld said, "We believe that these mouse model studies where the BPA exposure is through the diet is a more accurate representation of what happens to BPA as the human body attempts to processes this toxic substance. When BPA is taken through the food, the active form may remain in the body for a longer period of time than when it is provided through a single treatment, which does not reflect the continuous exposure that occurs in animal and human populations."
The study is published today in Environmental Health Perspectives.