PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Research shows 'BPA-free' bottles live up to manufacturers' claims

2011-07-12
(Press-News.org) CINCINNATI—The alarm caused by bisphenol A (BPA) presence in reusable plastic bottles resulted in a recent industry change, producing products made with supposed BPA-free materials.

Prompted by requests and concern from consumers, University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers wanted to see if these alternatives—including products made with stainless steel and coated aluminum—were truly giving the consumer an option free of BPA.

In a study reported in the July 8, 2011 advance online edition of the journal Chemosphere, Scott Belcher, PhD, associate professor in the pharmacology and cell biophysics department, and colleagues found that stainless steel- and/or co-polyester lined-aluminum bottles did not release BPA; however, aluminum bottles lined with epoxy-based resins still resulted in BPA contamination of liquids.

"BPA is an ever-present, high-volume industrial chemical that is an estrogen and an environmental endocrine disrupting chemical," explains Belcher, adding that it has been shown in experimental models to negatively impact the heart and reproductive system and enhance the growth of certain tumors.

"It is used extensively in the production of consumer goods, polycarbonate plastics, in epoxy resins that are used to coat metallic food and beverage cans and in other products," he continues. "There is great concern regarding the possible harmful effects from exposures that result from BPA leaching into foods and beverages from packaging or storage containers.

"The objective of this study was to independently assess whether BPA contamination of water was occurring from different types of reusable drinking bottles marketed as alternatives to BPA-containing polycarbonate plastics."

Belcher says that all reusable bottles used in the study were obtained from retail sources and were constructed from polycarbonate, co-polyester, stainless steel, aluminum with co-polyester lining or aluminum with epoxy resin lining.

The bottles, divided into test groups based on their material or lining, and collection vials were washed and rinsed using a standardized protocol to ensure that they were free of non-experimental contaminants. The interior of each bottle was scrubbed with a soft nylon bristle brush for approximately 30 seconds with a cleaner.

Belcher says bottles were then rinsed six times with BPA-free water, two of those times with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLT)-grade water used to identify, quantify and purify the individual components of the water, and then air dried.

"Briefly, 100 milliliters of HPLC-grade water was added to each bottle on the first day and was kept in the bottle for five days at room temperature," he says.

Three replicate experiments were performed for each bottle. The water was then rotated using a cell culture roller bottle system to ensure even contact of the water and the bottles' surface.

The effect of hot water on BPA leaching from the epoxy resin-lined bottles was measured by the addition of 100 milliliters of HPLC-grade water heated to 100 degrees on the first day.

Following the transfer of boiling water, the bottles were kept at room temperature with rotation for 24 hours during which water samples cooled to room temperature.

"Results once again showed that, at room temperature, detectable concentrations of BPA migrated from polycarbonate bottles. This confirmed our lab's previous study," says Belcher. "However, under the same conditions, BPA migration from aluminum bottles lined with epoxy-based resins was variable depending on the manufacturer. The discount store branded bottles tested released much more BPA."

He says boiling water significantly increased BPA migration from the epoxy-lined bottles. No detectable contamination was observed in water stored in bottles made from co-polyester plastic, uncoated stainless steel or aluminum lined with EcoCare™.

"The results from this study show that when used according to manufacturers' recommendations, reusable water bottles constructed from 'BPA-free' alternative materials are suitable for consumption of beverages without the fear of BPA contamination," Belcher says. "BPA does, however, migrate into water stored in polycarbonate plastic and metal bottles coated with epoxy-resins, especially when heated to high temperatures.

"Consumers should not think that just because a bottle isn't polycarbonate plastic that it is safe from the dangers of BPA, but while there are no standards for claims of 'BPA-free,' it appears that 'BPA-free' labels used to market co-polyester-based water bottle alternatives actually reflect a lack of BPA contamination in liquids stored in those containers," he continues.

"While consumers have been skeptical of manufacturers' claims, these studies confirm that these specific products do offer a BPA-free alternative to polycarbonate or epoxy lined bottles and that companies have responded to their consumers' desires for BPA-free products."

INFORMATION:

This study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the UC Center for Environmental Genetics. Belcher cites no conflict of interest.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Drinking until you forget leads to injuries for college kids

2011-07-12
CHICAGO --- "I don't remember how I got home from the party." This could be a text from last night to one hard-partying college student from another. New research from Northwestern Medicine shows that 50 percent of college drinkers report at least one alcohol-induced memory blackout -- a period of amnesia -- in the past year during a drinking binge. Despite being fully conscious during such blackouts, students could not recall specific events, such as how they got to a bar, party or their own front door. Published in Injury Prevention, May 2011, the study found college ...

'Healthy' habits linked to childhood obesity in China

2011-07-12
Teenaged boys from well-off Chinese families who say they are physically active and eat plenty of vegetables but few sweets are more likely to be overweight, according to a study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC). The study, published in the July 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior, is one of the first to examine how weight among Chinese adolescents relates to factors like sleep duration, physical activity, diet and general demographics. Most of what the research team found runs counter to ...

Large human study links phthalates, BPA and thyroid hormone levels

2011-07-12
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---A link between chemicals called phthalates and thyroid hormone levels was confirmed by the University of Michigan in the first large-scale and nationally representative study of phthalates and BPA in relation to thyroid function in humans. The U-M School of Public Health study also reported suggestive findings consistent with a previously reported link between a chemical called bisphenol-A and thyroid hormone levels. BPA is best known for its use in certain plastic water bottles and in the linings of canned foods. Researchers used publicly available ...

Data revealing migrations of larval reef fish vital for designing networks of marine protected areas

2011-07-12
Networks of biologically-connected marine protected areas need to be carefully planned, taking into account the open ocean migrations of marine fish larvae that take them from one home to another sometimes hundreds of kilometers away. Research published today in the international journal Oecologia sheds new light on the dispersal of marine fish in their larval stages, important information for the effective design of marine protected areas (MPAs), a widely advocated conservation tool. Using a novel genetic analysis, researchers at the University of Windsor, Canada, ...

New brain research suggests eating disorders impact brain function

2011-07-12
AURORA, Colo. (July 11, 2011) Bulimia nervosa is a severe eating disorder associated with episodic binge eating followed by extreme behaviors to avoid weight gain such as self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives or excessive exercise. It is poorly understood how brain function may be involved in bulimia. A new study led by Guido Frank, MD, assistant professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Director, Developmental Brain Research Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, studied the brain response to a dopamine related reward-learning ...

The deVere Group Launches the Alquity Africa Fund

2011-07-12
The Alquity Africa equity investment fund targets double-digit returns from Africa's high-growth economies. Notably, it achieved a 10% return for investors in its maiden year. In addition, Alquity Investment Management, the fund's investment manager, has committed to donating a minimum of 25% of its net management fees on an ongoing basis to projects aimed at transforming lives across Africa. As the donation comes from Alquity's management fees, investors still receive their full investment return. The Alquity Africa Fund will be available to invest in via The deVere ...

New study may lead to quicker diagnosis, improved treatment for fatal lung disease

2011-07-12
SALT LAKE CITY – One-fifth of all patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension suffer with the fatal disease for more than two years before being correctly diagnosed and properly treated, according to a new national study led by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City. "For a lot of patients, that means the treatment is more difficult and the damage is irreversible," said Lynnette Brown, MD, PhD, a pulmonologist and researcher at Intermountain Medical Center and lead author of the study, which is published this week in the July issue of Chest, the ...

Georgia hospitals lag in palliative care for the seriously ill, UGA study finds

2011-07-12
Hospitals across the nation are increasingly implementing palliative care programs to help patients manage the physical and emotional burdens of serious illnesses, but a new University of Georgia study finds that 82 percent of the state's hospitals do not offer palliative care services. "Most people will have some sort of extended illness at the end of their life, and many, especially frail elders, could benefit from this type of care," said study principal investigator Anne Glass, assistant director of the UGA Institute of Gerontology, part of the College of Public Health. ...

U of T research suggests female minorities are more affected by racism than sexism

2011-07-12
Studies by the University of Toronto's psychology department suggest that racism may impact some female minority groups more deeply than sexism. "We found that Asian women take racism more personally and find it more depressing than sexism," said lead author and doctoral student Jessica Remedios. "In order to understand the consequences for people who encounter prejudice, we must consider the type of prejudice they are facing," says Remedios. In one study, 66 participants of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Japanese descent were assigned one of three hypothetical ...

University of Kentucky-led research could be path to new energy sources

University of Kentucky-led research could be path to new energy sources
2011-07-12
LEXINGTON, Ky. − A team of researchers led by University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Professor Joe Chappell is making a connection from prehistoric times to the present that could result in being able to genetically create a replacement for oil and coal shale deposits. This could have fundamental implications for the future of the earth's energy supply. Tom Niehaus, completing his doctorate in the Chappell laboratory; Shigeru Okada, a sabbatical professor from the aquatic biosciences department at the University of Tokyo; Tim Devarenne, a UK graduate and ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

McGill discovery sheds new light on autism, intellectual disabilities

Cellular changes occur even below the hexavalent chromium limit

Study suggests a new way to curb social media’s body image toll

Plant doctor: An AI system that watches over urban trees without touching a leaf

Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts

Scientists: the beautiful game is a silver bullet for global health

Being physically active, even just a couple of days a week, may be key to better health

High-fat diet promote breast cancer metastasis in animal models

A router for photons

Nurses and AI collaborate to save lives, reduce hospital stays

Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model

Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

[Press-News.org] Research shows 'BPA-free' bottles live up to manufacturers' claims