BPA found throughout oceans

[SivartM]

Quote:

A survey of 200 sites in 20 countries around the world has found that bisphenol A, a synthetic compound that mimics estrogen and is linked to developmental disorders, is ubiquitous in Earth’s oceans.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is found mostly in shatter-proof plastics and epoxy resins. Most people have trace amounts in their bodies, likely absorbed from food containers. Its hormone-mimicking properties make it a potent endocrine system disruptor.

In recent years, scientists have moved from studying BPA’s damaging effects in laboratory animals to linking it to heart disease, sterility and altered childhood development in humans. Many questions still remain about dosage effects and the full nature of those links, but in January the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that “recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.”

The oceanic BPA survey, presented March 23 at an American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, was conducted by Nihon University chemists Katsuhiko Saido and Hideto Sato. At an ACS meeting last year, they described how soft plastic in seawater doesn’t just float or sink intact, but can break down rapidly, releasing toxins. In their new findings, they showed that BPA-containing hard plastics can break down too, and found BPA in ocean water and sand at concentrations ranging from .01 to .50 parts per million.

Read more at: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/ocean-bpa/

[karl]

I recommend avoiding plastic. Do not heat stuff in your microwave in a plastic container. Use china or ceramic ware in the microwave. I also recommend drinking distilled water. I don't know whether that helps with the traces of plastic or not, but it helps my kidneys get rid of stuff.

I do like the estrogenic effects of the plastics, though. I'm getting in touch with my feminine side.

[SivartM]

lol, thanks for the tips karl.

I'd like to direct everyone to one of my favorite blogs on plastic reduction, http://fakeplasticfish.com/

Did you know there's a giant island of trash in the ocean? :\

[Dr. Shane]

Yes, there is a bunch of trash out in the Pacific Ocean. It is best to stay away from plastics although aluminum and teflon are worse yet. It is best to cook with cast iron, glassware and stainless steel. There are a lot of stainless steel and glass thermos containers on the market for beverages.

Drinking pure water is best but for those hooked on sweetened drinks, try a variety of herbal teas sweetened with your favorite sweetener. These teas can be refrigerated and put on ice. Or make home-made lemonade. That is a very healthy alternative to soda pop.