Bisphenol A Concentrations Research Articles

Serum glycolipids mediate the relationship of urinary bisphenols with NAFLD: analysis of a population-based, cross-sectional study

BackgroundBisphenol A (BPA) and its substitutes bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals widely used in consumer products, which have been proposed to induce various human diseases. In western countries, one of the most common liver diseases is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, studies on the associations of the three bisphenols with NAFLD in human beings are scarce.MethodsWe included 960 participants aged ≥ 20 years from the NHANES 2013–16 who had available data on levels of urinary BPA, BPS and BPF. The hepatic steatosis index (HSI) > 36 was used to predict NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis and mediation effect analysis were used to evaluate the associations among bisphenols, glycolipid-related markers and NAFLD.ResultsA total of 540 individuals (56.3%) were diagnosed with NAFLD, who had higher concentrations of BPA and BPS but not BPF than those without NAFLD. An increasing trend in NAFLD risks and HSI levels was observed among BPA and BPS tertiles (p for trend < 0.05). After adjustment for confounders, elevated levels of BPA or BPS but not BPF were significantly associated with NAFLD. The odds ratio for NAFLD was 1.581 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.1–2.274, p = 0.013) comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of BPA and 1.799 (95%CI: 1.2462.597, p = 0.002) for BPS. Mediation effect analysis indicated that serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and glucose had a mediating effect on the relationships between bisphenols and NAFLD.ConclusionsThe present study showed that high exposure levels of BPA and BPS increased NAFLD incidence, which might be mediated through regulating glycolipids metabolism. Further studies on the role of bisphenols in NAFLD are warranted.

Interactive effects of temperature and bisphenol A on phytoplankton growth and community structure.

Environmental contamination of bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread and multifaceted issue with vast ecological, social and economic consequences. Thus, understanding how local environmental conditions, such as temperature, interact with BPA to affect populations and community dynamics remain important areas of research. Here, we conduct laboratory experiments aimed at understanding how environmental gradients of both temperature and BPA concentration influence freshwater phytoplankton population growth and community structure. We exposed phytoplankton assemblages comprised of three common species of green algae (Chlorella vulgaris, Ankistrodesmus braunii and Scenedesmus quadricauda) as well as isolates of each individual species to three BPA concentrations (0, 2, 13mg/L BPA) and three temperatures (18, 23, 27°C) monitoring population growth and community structure (via biovolume). We observed antagonistic interactions between BPA and warmer temperatures, such that when warmer temperatures decreased growth (observed with A. braunii), high concentrations of BPA elevated growth at these warm temperatures; however, when warmer temperatures increased growth (C. vulgaris, S. quadricauda), high BPA concentrations diminished these gains. Although BPA exposure inhibited the growth of most C. vulgaris populations, growth was not reduced in A. braunii or S. quadricauda populations exposed to 2mg/L BPA. Phytoplankton assemblage evenness (Pielou evenness index) decreased as BPA concentration increased and was consistently lowest under 27°C. Community composition was similar in assemblages cultured under 0 and 2mg/L BPA under 18 and 23°C but was most similar between assemblages cultured under 2 and 13mg/L BPA under 27°C. These results indicate that local environmental temperatures can mediate the consequences of BPA for freshwater phytoplankton growth rates and community structure and that BPA can diminish potential gains of increased growth rate for warm-adapted phytoplankton species at high environmental temperatures.

Application of magnetic sorbents modified with molecular imprinted polymers for screening of phenolic xenoestrogens

A new method for the determining phenolic xenoestrogens, chemicals that destroy the endocrine system (EDC), i.e., 4-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol (NLP) and bisphenol A (BPA), in sediments and river waters with preliminary concentration on magnetic sorbents functionalized by polymers based on molecular imprints is proposed. were determined In the concentrates EDC were converted to derivatives by reaction with acetic anhydride and then determined by gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The accuracy of the determination was evaluated by the "added–found" method. Use of the molecular imprinted polymers allows determining up to 5 ng/l NLP and 6 ng/l OP and BFA in wastewaters. In bottom sediments, the limit of determination was 100 ng/kg for NLP and 150 ng/kg for OP or BPA. The decrease in sensitivity was due to the high contamination of bottom sediments and increased matrix effects. Products of degradation of humic acid, surfactants and petroleum products have the greatest interfering effect. The method was tested on EDC screening in waters and bottom sediments of the Voronezh reservoir. Sites near the unorganized discharge of wastewaters and near the discharge of municipal wastewater treatment plants were selected as sampling points. The maximum concentrations of OP, NLP and BPA found in the river waters were 335, 1138 and 144 ng/l, respectively, and in the bottom sediments were 6.9, 10.7 and 5.9 μg/kg, respectively.

The Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle plays an important role against toxicity to bisphenol A and bisphenol S.

Caenorhabditis elegans represents a favorite non-mammalian animal model, which is often used to study the effect of foreign substances on living organisms. Its epidermal barrier is a primary biological barrier that protects nematodes from the toxicity of chemicals. In this study, we investigated the effect of Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting chemical, and its structural analog Bisphenol S (BPS), which is often used as a substitute for BPA in some products, on the behavior of C. elegans wild type (N2) and C. elegans bli-1 mutant strain, which is characterized by the production of abnormal cuticle blisters. We found that exposure of C. elegans wild type (N2), as well as its mutant strain bli-1, to selected concentrations of BPA (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5µM) and BPS (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5µM) resulted in significant changes in reproduction, habituation behavior, and body length of nematodes. Based on our findings, we can conclude that BPS, which was supposed to be a safer alternative to BPA, caused almost identical detrimental effects on C. elegans behavior. Furthermore, compared to the wild type of C. elegans, these effects were more pronounced in the bli-1 strain, which is characterized by a mutation in an individual collagen gene responsible for proper cuticle formation, underlying the role of the epidermal barrier in bisphenol toxicity. Taken together, our data indicate the potential risks of using BPS as a BPA alternative.

A dual-mode "signal-on" split-type aptasensor for bisphenol A via target-induced hybridization chain reaction amplification.

Herein, a dual-mode detection system was constructed for efficient and accurate detection of bisphenol A (BPA) with the assistance of the BPA-induced hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The captured DNA (cDNA) was first modified on the surface of magnetic spheres modified with gold nanoparticles and polydopamine and then hybridized with the BPA aptamer to form double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). In the presence of the BPA target, the BPA aptamer was released from the surface of the magnetic sphere. The free cDNA triggered a HCR to construct a DNA duplex. Methylene blue (MB), as a bifunctional probe, was intercalated into the double-stranded DNA to amplify the photocurrent (IPEC) of the CdS-modified electrode and generate an electrochemical current (IEC) at the same time. Under the optimized conditions, the PEC and EC signal responses of the system were linear to the logarithm of BPA concentration in the range of 1.0 × 10-10 M to 1.0 × 10-5 M. The detection limits were found to be 1.27 × 10-11 M and 3.0 × 10-11 M using the PEC and EC methods, respectively. The constructed dual-mode biosensor exhibited good performance for real sample analysis, demonstrating its promising potential for practical applications. In addition, this dual-mode detection strategy provides more accurate and reliable detection results.

Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to Bisphenol A in Polymeric Baby Bottles.

In recent decades, paying attention to bisphenol A (BPA), as one of the endocrine disruptor compounds, has increased due to its harmful effects. Although, scattered studies have been conducted in order to measure BPA concentration migrated into polymeric baby bottles in different countries of the world, there are no review studies and evaluation with a global perspective in the field of BPA risk. Some of these studies indicated the potential risks and estrogenic effects associated with BPA in babies' daily intake. For this purpose, we reviewed the information on the migration levels of BPA into baby bottles has been reported in 10 countries. The potential risks associated with BPA through the daily intake as well as the estrogenic effect on 3 age groups of babies which include 0 to 6, 6 to 12, and 12 to 24 months were analyzed using the Monte Carlo simulation. Also, kinetic models were applied to predict the kinetics of the migration process of BPA. The median daily intake for 3 age groups was obtained as 191.1, 161.37, and 153.76 µg/kg/day, respectively; which indicated Hazard Index (HI) > 1. The median estrogenic effect for the 3 groups was estimated to be 0.021 ngE2/L. The kinetics of contaminant transfer with Polynomial model at 2 temperatures of 24°C and 40°C showed a better fit with R 2 = 0.99 and 0.91, respectively. Based on the risk assessment analysis conducted in the present study, the BPA migration in baby bottles appeared to be a health concern for babies. Therefore, it is needed to increase the safety level of bottles for babies as they are sensitive and vulnerable members of every society. Furthermore, in this study, only the investigation of the global situation of BPA in polymeric baby bottles was stated; therefore, more investigation about another potential sources of BPA in food chain is needed.

PECULIARITIES OF BISPHENOL А UTILISATION BY ENZYMES RHODOTORULA MINUTA, SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE, CORYNEBACTERIUM GLUTAMICUM, MICROCOCCUS LUTEUS

One of the most serious problems today is environmental pollution by plastic and its derivatives. It is known that bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread compound used in the production of various polymeric materials. When it gets into water, soil, air, food and beverages, it causes numerous toxic effects in the body. Bisphenol A disrupts the functioning of the endocrine, reproductive, immune, nervous, and respiratory systems (Kosior E., Crescenzi I., 2020). When ingested by the animal body through the diet, BPA can be absorbed by cells of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, where it undergoes biotransformation to form bisphenol A-glucuronide, and less commonly bisphenol A-sulfate (Durovcova I. et al., 2022). Little is known about the impact of BPA on the development of microorganisms; the possibility of converting the polutant by enzymes of a number of gram-negative bacteria and microscopic fungi has been reported (Ingale S. et al., 2021). Today, effective and cost-effective strategies are being actively sought to remove xenobiotics from the environment and prevent their entry into the human body through trophic chains. Biodegradation is one of the most advanced technologies available today. Due to the efficient extracellular enzyme systems of ligninolytic and non-ligninolytic microscopic fungi and bacteria, BPA can be biotransformed to form non-toxic products (Daassi D. et al., 2016). We have studied the possibility of biodegradation of bisphenol A by Rhodotorula minuta, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Micrococcus luteus. It was found that the cultivation of microorganisms on media containing bisphenol concentrations exceeding its MPC in the environment was characterised by a decrease in the accumulation of their biomass and colony formation. The introduction of 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 3, 4, 5 mg/l of bisphenol A into the culture medium led to an increase in laccase, Mn-peroxidase and lignin peroxidase activities, most of all in R. minuta. The ability to utilise the polutant in the environment by the studied microorganisms is different. Studies indicating the indirect ability to convert bisphenol A by these gram-positive bacteria and fungi showed that the enzymatic systems of R. minuta utilised, on average, 13 % of the introduced xenobiotic, and M. luteus - about 6 % of BPA.

Determination of Bisphenol A and Phthalate Levels in Wastewater Samples

Objective: The use of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA) in plastics manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, and paint manufacturing increas daily. The water treated in wastewater treatment plants is used in many areas such as irrigation of parks and gardens, and reinforcement of underground water resources. However, whether the treatment process eliminates EDCs in wastewater is not exactly known, and determining this as well as the amounts of these chemicals in treated water are important in terms of protecting the environment and human health. The aim of the study was to determine BPA and phthalate concentrations in the influent and effluent flow samples obtained from wastewater treatment plants. Materials and Methods: BPA and phthalate concentrations were measured in influent and effluent flow samples using the enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. BPA and phthalate measurements were performed as competitive measurements of BPA and total phthalates in samples using specific monoclonal antibodies. Results: BPA and phthalate levels were measured respectively as 7.69 μg/L and 78.27 μg/L in the influent water samples and 3.17 μg/L and 25.56 μg/L in the effluent water samples. The concentration of BPA and phthalates in the effluent samples decreased significantly compared to the influent water samples. Conclusion: This study is believed to shed light on the importance of monitoring BPA and phthalate concentrations in wastewater treatment plants and inspections for detecting other EDCs in wastewater.

Mechanisms of BPA Degradation and Toxicity Resistance in Rhodococcus equi

Bisphenol A (BPA) pollution poses an increasingly serious problem. BPA has been detected in a variety of environmental media and human tissues. Microbial degradation is an effective method of environmental BPA remediation. However, BPA is also biotoxic to microorganisms. In this study, Rhodococcus equi DSSKP-R-001 (R-001) was used to degrade BPA, and the effects of BPA on the growth metabolism, gene expression patterns, and toxicity-resistance mechanisms of Rhodococcus equi were analyzed. The results showed that R-001 degraded 51.2% of 5 mg/L BPA and that 40 mg/L BPA was the maximum BPA concentration tolerated by strain R-001. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and multicopper oxidases played key roles in BPA degradation. However, BPA was toxic to strain R-001, exhibiting nonlinear inhibitory effects on the growth and metabolism of this bacterium. R-001 bacterial biomass, total protein content, and ATP content exhibited V-shaped trends as BPA concentration increased. The toxic effects of BPA included the downregulation of R-001 genes related to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pentose phosphate metabolism, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. Genes involved in aspects of the BPA-resistance response, such as base excision repair, osmoprotectant transport, iron-complex transport, and some energy metabolisms, were upregulated to mitigate the loss of energy associated with BPA exposure. This study helped to clarify the bacterial mechanisms involved in BPA biodegradation and toxicity resistance, and our results provide a theoretical basis for the application of strain R-001 in BPA pollution treatments.

Performance and Kinetics of BPA Degradation Initiated by Powdered Iron (or Ferrous Sulfate) and Persulfate in Aqueous Solutions

The widespread use of bisphenol A (BPA) in industry has resulted in BPA contamination of water bodies and even endocrine-disrupting effects on organisms and humans through water transmission. Advanced oxidation processes based on sulfate radicals have received increasing attention due to their ability to efficiently degrade endocrine disruptors (including BPA) in water. In this study, powdered iron (Fe(0)) and ferrous sulfate (Fe(II)) were used as activators to activate persulfate (PS) for the degradation of BPA. The effects of the dosage of the activator, the concentration of PS, the concentration of BPA, the initial solution pH, and the reaction temperature on the degradation efficiency of BPA in Fe(II)/PS and Fe(0)/PS systems were investigated, and the kinetics of BPA degradation under different reaction conditions were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal conditions were [Fe(II)] = 0.1 g/L, [PS] = 0.4 mM, [BPA] = 1 mg/L, T = 70 °C and pH = 5.0 for the Fe(II)/PS system and [Fe(0)] = 0.5 g/L, [PS] = 0.5 mM, [BPA] = 1 mg/L, T = 70 °C and pH = 5.0 for the Fe(0)/PS system; both systems were able to achieve equally good degradation of BPA. The degradation of BPA in the Fe(II)/PS system satisfied the pseudo-secondary kinetic equation under varying PS concentration conditions, otherwise the degradation of BPA in both systems conformed to the pseudo-first-order kinetic equation.

Physiologically based modelling of dermal absorption and kinetics of consumer-relevant chemicals: A case study with exposure to bisphenol A from thermal paper

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the best studied industrial chemicals in terms of exposure, toxicity, and toxicokinetics. This renders it an ideal candidate to exploit the recent advancements in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling to support risk assessment of BPA specifically, and of other consumer-relevant hazardous chemicals in general. Using the exposure from thermal paper as a case scenario, this study employed the multi-phase multi-layer mechanistic dermal absorption (MPML MechDermA) model available in the Simcyp® Simulator to simulate the dermal toxicokinetics of BPA at local and systemic levels. Sensitivity analysis helped to identify physicochemical and physiological factors influencing the systemic exposure to BPA. The iterative modelling process was as follows: (i) development of compound files for BPA and its conjugates, (ii) setting-up of a PBPK model for intravenous administration, (iii) extension for oral administration, and (iv) extension for exposure via skin (i.e., hand) contact. A toxicokinetic study involving hand contact to BPA-containing paper was used for model refinement. Cumulative urinary excretion of total BPA had to be employed for dose reconstruction. PBPK model performance was verified using the observed serum BPA concentrations. The predicted distribution across the skin compartments revealed a depot of BPA in the stratum corneum (SC). These findings shed light on the role of the SC to act as temporary reservoir for lipophilic chemicals prior to systemic absorption, which inter alia is relevant for the interpretation of human biomonitoring data and for establishing the relationship between external and internal measures of exposure.

Associations between urinary concentrations of bisphenols and serum concentrations of sex hormones among US. Males

BackgroundBisphenol A (BPA) exposure and its structural analogs (BPS and BPF) might cause endocrine alterations and adverse physiological effects. Few studies to date have directly explored the association between its structural analogs (BPS, BPF) and sex hormones in adult male participants. Therefore, we aimed to assess the associations between BPA, BPS, BPF, and sex hormones in American adult men.MethodsWe used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2016. We excluded participants without data available on sex hormones and urinary bisphenols. Furthermore, participants consuming sex hormone medications were excluded. Multivariable regression models were performed to assess the association between bisphenols and sex hormones.ResultsIn this study, 2367 participants were included. Of 2367, in 1575 participants, the data on BPS and BPF were available. We found that a per unit increase in BPF was associated with 0.575 ng/dL higher total testosterone (TT) (Model 2: 95% CI: 0.047, 1.103, P = 0.033). However, there was no significant association between BPA or BPS and TT. Furthermore, increased BPA and BPS levels were associated with higher levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) (Model 2: β = 0.364, 95% CI: 0.158, 0.571; β = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.071, 0.429, respectively). Additionally, participants in the highest BPA exposure quartile (quartile 4) had 4.072 nmol/L higher levels of SHBG than those in quartile 1 (Model 2: 95% CI: 0.746, 7.397, P = 0.017; P for trend =0.005). Both BPA and BPS were negatively associated with free testosterone (FT, nmol/L) after full adjustment (Model 2, β = − 0.01%, P = 0.0211, P = 0.0211; Model 2, β = − 0.01%, P = 0.0258, respectively). However, BPF was positively associated with FT (Model 2, β = 0.0029%, P = 0.0028).ConclusionOur study indicated that exposure to both BPA and its substitutions could alter sex hormone levels. This finding supports the possibility that human exposure to bisphenols at environmental levels might affect the endogenous hormone balance.

Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors (Di(2-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and Bisphenol A (BPA)) in Women from Different Residing Areas in Italy: Data from the LIFE PERSUADED Project.

Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are plasticizers used in many industrial products that can act as endocrine disruptors and lead to metabolic diseases. During the LIFE PERSUADED project, we measured the urinary concentrations of BPA and Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) metabolites in 900 Italian women representative of the Italian female adult population (living in the north, centre, and south of Italy in both rural and urban areas). The whole cohort was exposed to DEHP and BPA with measurable levels above limit of detection in more than 99% and 95% of the samples, respectively. The exposure patterns differed for the two chemicals in the three macro-areas with the highest urinary levels for DEHP in south compared to central and northern Italy and for BPA in northern compared to central and southern Italy. BPA levels were higher in women living in urban areas, whereas no difference between areas was observed for DEHP. The estimated daily intake of BPA was 0.11 μg/kg per day, about 36-fold below the current temporary tolerable daily intake of 4 μg/kg per day established by the EFSA in 2015. The analysis of cumulative exposure showed a positive correlation between DEHP and BPA. Further, the reduction of exposure to DEHP and BPA, through specific legislative measures, is necessary to limit the harmfulness of these substances.

Evaluation of chemicals leached from PET and recycled PET containers into beverages.

The use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) containers, a recent shift in the beverage industry, poses new potential human health concerns including contamination from the original container; use of additives, detergents, and catalysts during recycling; and improper recycling practices. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate available data regarding: (1) chemicals leached from PET and rPET in bottle form; (2) concentration of these chemicals; and (3) trends between rPET percent and concentration of chemicals leached. This analysis identified 211 scientific articles related to recycled plastic and leachables. Three articles met the inclusion criteria: (1) plastic was in bottle form; (2) plastic was made of PET or rPET; and (3) the study analyzed both PET and rPET using the same methods. This evaluation demonstrated that onlynine compounds- benzene, styrene, acetaldehyde, 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, furan, bisphenol A (BPA), 2-buta-none, acetone, and limonene- have been studied. Notably, the leachable concentration of benzene, styrene, and BPA increased as the percent of recycled content increased from 0 to 100%. However, 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane and furan implied a reverse trend, where the leachable concentration decreased as the percent of recycled content increased from 0 to 100%. The concentrations of 2-butanone, acetone, and limonene did not follow any suggested trend. Evidently, recycling PET can lead to changes in the leachables profile. This analysis further identified key areas of research, including testing a variety of liquid types, that need to be addressed to adequately conduct a human health risk assessment.

Plasma bisphenol a and phthalate levels in children with cerebral palsy: a case-control study

ABSTRACT The case-control study aimed to evaluate potential sources of exposure and the plasma concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in prepubertal children having cerebral palsy (CP) and healthy control. Blood samples of 68 CP and 70 controls were analyzed for BPA, di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (MEHP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). BPA and DBP levels were similar in groups. The median DEHP and MEHP levels of the children with CP were significantly lower than those of the controls (p = 0.035, p < 0.001, respectively). Exposure to plastic food containers/bags, personal care hygiene products, household cleaners, wood/coal stove heating, and city water supplies were associated with increased odds of higher BPA and phthalate levels in children with CP. In conclusion, potential exposure sources for BPA and phthalates differ in children with CP and healthy controls, and children with CP are not exposed to higher levels of BPA and phthalates.

DNA Damage and Repair in different Tissues of Fresh Water Fish, &lt;i&gt;Channa punctata&lt;/i&gt; after Acute and Subchronic Exposure to bisphenol A

The present study was conducted to investigate the genotoxic effect of Bis-Phenol A (BPA) after acute and subchronic exposure in different tissues of Channa punctata. The recovery in DNA damage was also ascertained after 30 days of cessation of exposure. Fish were exposed to different sublethal concentrations of BPA along with two controls i.e., with positive (acetone) and negative (water) controls for 96h (acute exposure) and 60 days (subchronic exposure) and after that fish were allowed to recover for 30 days in freshwater. The blood, liver, and gill tissue samples were collected at 24, 48, 72 and 96h for acute exposure and after 20, 40, and 60 days post-exposure for subchronic exposure. Exposed groups showed significantly higher DNA damage in both acute and subchronic exposure as compared to control groups. In the case of acute exposure, the highest damage was observed at 24 h of exposure followed by a decline in the value of all the parameters, while in the later hours of exposure these values further increased. On the other hand, in the case of sub-chronic exposure, the highest damage was observed after 60 days of exposure. Recovery experiment showed a decrease in the values of all the parameters studied. The result of the study clearly showed that BPA caused DNA damage in Channa punctata after acute as well as subchronic exposure.

Association of urinary bisphenol A with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related diseases: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (2005-2016).

In vivo and in vitro studies have found that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) can lead to pulmonary diseases, but there exists little evidence regarding the association between urinary BPA level and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related diseases in the population. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, from 2005 to 2016, were utilized in this study. Participants who self-reported having emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or COPD were defined as having COPD-related diseases. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association of urinary BPA with COPD-related diseases in the overall population and according to sex. Three separate models including different covariates were used in our analyses. The association of urinary BPA with COPD-related diseases in different subgroups (age, smoking status, participants belonging to "ever had asthma" and "ever had cardiovascular disease") other than sex was also analyzed. Based on the different models, 9189, 7006, and 6946 participants were used in our study. BPA was found to be significantly associated with COPD-related diseases in all models. The concentration of BPA in urine was significantly associated with COPD-related diseases regardless of whether BPA concentration was treated as a continuous variable (odds ratio (OR): 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.38, in model 3) or as tertiles (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.49-2.72, between the lowest group and highest group, in model 3). This association was significant among male but not female participants. BPA also demonstrated a significant association with emphysema and chronic bronchitis in adults, particularly in males. No significant interaction was found for all the other subgroup analyses. Urinary BPA was associated with COPD-related diseases in adult participants, especially males.

Bisphenol A alternatives continuously contribute to the endocrine disruption in cetaceans

The bans on bisphenol A (BPA) have facilitated the widespread use of BPA alternatives and shifted environmental contamination profiles of bisphenols (BPs). However, the continued reports of toxicities of emerging BPA alternatives have raised questions about whether the shifting profiles are contributed to mitigate BPs-mediated endocrine-disruption effects (EDEs). Cetaceans are commonly used as the ideal sentinel species for monitoring marine pollutants of concern and determining potential health effects, but far less is known about BP loads and BPs-mediated EDEs in cetaceans. Here we measured the hepatic concentrations of six BPs in eight stranded cetacean species (n = 41) in the South China Sea, between 2007 and 2020. The large-bodied whales generally showed higher ∑BPs concentrations than the small-bodied dolphins. In Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) (n = 33), BPA concentrations first increased (2007–2014) and then decreased (2014–2020), while ∑BPAlternatives concentrations increased from 2007 to 2020. It appears that the alternatives gradually replaced BPA, probably due to the BPA-related bans in China. In order to examine the hormone disruption of BPA and its alternatives in finless porpoises, five blubber hormones (cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, triiodothyronine and tetraiodothyronine), which are proven to be validated endocrine biomarkers, were measured in 21 samples. Tetraiodothyronine, testosterone, and cortisol were significantly and positively correlated with BPA and its alternatives, suggesting that the interference of endocrine hormone homeostasis may continue to occur despite the changes of BP profiles in finless porpoises. This is the first investigation of the relationship between hormone and BP concentrations in cetaceans and represents a substantial advance in understanding BPs-mediated endocrine effects on cetaceans.

An Assessment of Mass Flows, Removal and Environmental Emissions of Bisphenols in a Sequencing Batch Reactor Wastewater Treatment Plant

This study analyzed 16 bisphenols (BPs) in wastewater and sludge samples collected from different stages at a municipal wastewater treatment plant based on sequencing batch reactor technology. It also describes developing an analytical method for determining BPs in the solid phase of activated sludge based on solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Obtained concentrations are converted into mass flows, and the biodegradation of BPs and adsorption to primary and secondary sludge are determined. Ten of the sixteen BPs were present in the influent with concentrations up to 434 ng L-1 (BPS). Only five BPs with concentrations up to 79 ng L-1 (BPA) were determined in the plant effluent, accounting for 8 % of the total BPs determined in the influent. Eleven per cent of the total BPs were adsorbed on primary and secondary sludge. Overall, BPs biodegradation efficiency was 81%. The highest daily emissions via effluent release (1.48 g day-1) and sludge disposal (4.63 g day-1) were for BPA, while total emissions reached 2 g day-1 via effluent and 6 g day-1 via sludge disposal. The data show that the concentrations of BPs in sludge are not negligible, and their environmental emissions should be monitored and further studied.

Development of Bi2WO6 and Bi2O3 - ZnO heterostructure for enhanced photocatalytic mineralization of Bisphenol A.

Present study proposed the synthesis of mixed p-type and n-type nanocomposite heterostructures by co-precipitation method. The as-synthesized heterostructures were characterized through different characterization techniques. The as-synthesized Bi2WO6 and Bi2O3-ZnO heterostructures were tested as photocatalysts during the photodegradation of Bisphenol A (BPA). The Bi2O3-ZnO heterostructure nanocomposite was found to be a more effective photocatalyst than Bi2WO6. The effect of operating parameters including catalytic dose (0.02-0.15 gL-1), initial BPA concentration (5-20 mgL-1), temperature change (5-20 °C) and solution pH changes (4, 5, 7, and 8) were evaluated with Bi2O3-ZnO under UV-light irradiation by selecting a 300 W Xe lamp. More than 90% BPA was degraded with 0.15 gL-1 Bi2O3-ZnO, keeping 1.0 mM H2O2concentration fixed in 250 mL of reaction suspension. The HPLC and GC-MS were used to detect the reaction intermediates and final products. A plausible degradation pathway was proposed on the basis of the identification of reaction intermediates. Repeatability test analysis confirmed that the as-synthesized catalyst showed superb catalytic performance on its removal trend. The kinetics of degradation of BPA were well fitted by the power laws model. With the order of reaction being 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, and 1.3 for different operating parameters, i.e., catalyst dose, initial pH, temperature, and initial BPA concentration.