Article

The following is the abstract of my Seminar, titled: “Bisphenol A: A Momentary or Transgenerational Risk”, that I worked on through a whole semester.  It was presented in Spring 2020 at NDU, by which I graduated with a B.S. in Biology.

If interested, you can request the full Seminar paper.  

Abstract:

    Bisphenol A, abbreviated as BPA, is a synthetic organic compound that was first synthesized in 1891 by a British medical researcher Edward Dodds and became widely used by manufacturers of polycarbonate plastics; as it is an important element in the production of plastics, epoxy and thermal printer paper. Major concerns are associated with leaching of BPA in the environment since plastics are present all around us.

    BPA is a well-known endocrine disruptor found in polycarbonate plastics. Once it enters the body it acts on three receptor pathways –ER, ERR, and AR-, and causes changes in short time before it is excreted through urine. BPA causes many health effects on the human body that can lead to unfavorable effects on future generations, such as reproductive problems in both males and females. It was suggested that those effects are mediated though epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation, histone modifications and MicroRNAs. BPA influences future generations thus leading to a transgenerational risk. BPA have eight analogues, that some share similar structure and similar mode of actions, used under the name of “BPA free”. After banning BPA in children toys and gadgets, its analogues haven’t been banned yet. So will BPA alternatives be banned too since they may hold a transgenerational risk?