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The Precautionary Principle and Design
Published in Jean Russ, Sustainability and Design Ethics, 2018
We live in challenging times. The total amount of knowledge is said to have doubled in the last 2 years, and the rate of new knowledge suggests that the current doubling time is 18 months.1 Of course, this means that half of what is known now was not known a year and a half ago. Even if these numbers are not completely accurate, it is clear that the amount of knowledge and data available today is significantly greater than it was not so long ago. Most of this knowledge may not be relevant to the typical designer, but much of it may be. Industrial designers of plastic items should keep abreast of the growing scientific concern of bisphenol-A (BPA), for example; should the scientific data reach a critical mass, BPA may be banned from products in the United States, as has been in other countries.
Indoor Air Pollution
Published in William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel, Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 4, 2017
William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel
This is used to make rigid plastic polycarbonate (roughly 70% of bisphenol A [BPA]),192 used in baby bottles, plastic water cooler bottles, kitchen appliances, CDs and DVDs, and shatter-proof “glass” applications, and to make epoxy resins (roughly 25% of BPA), including for linings of metal food and drink containers, printer toners and inks, industrial paints, dental sealants, and other products. Approximately 7 billion pounds of bisphenol A are manufactured every year.193 BPA is an endocrine disruptor shown to induce health impacts identified in animal studies at the same levels found in people through biomonitoring by CDC and PSR.194 Disorders associated with BPA exposure include miscarriages, infertility,195,196 breast,197 and prostate cancer,198 altered brain development and function,199 obesity,200 heart disease,201 diabetes, and thyroid dysfunction.202
Sources of Endocrine Disrupters
Published in Jason W. Birkett, John N. Lester, Endocrine Disrupters in Wastewater and Sludge Treatment Processes, 2002
Bisphenol A (BPA) is manufactured in large quantities, with over 90% being used in the plastics industry for the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester–styrene resins, and flame retardants.38 The plastics produced are used in food and drink packaging, such as for lining metal food cans, for bottle tops, and water supply pipes.4 Other uses include additives in thermal paper, powder paints, in dentistry,39 and as antioxidants in plastics.38,40 Almost 30% of the world’s production is within the European Union, with reportedly 210,000 tons produced in Germany in 1995.38
Toxicological profile of bisphenol F via comprehensive and extensive toxicity evaluations following dermal exposure
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 2022
Sang-Sik Lee, Hyeon-Yeol Ryu, Kyu-Sup Ahn, Somin Lee, Jiho Lee, Jae Won Lee, Soo Min Ko, Woo-Chan Son
The use of bisphenol A (BPA, 4,4′-(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol), an industrial chemical used worldwide, reached 1.6 million tons in 2019 (PR Newswire 2019). Bisphenol A has been used as an additive in various materials, such as polycarbonate and epoxy resins, which are applied as the inner coating of food cans (Lim et al. 2009; Tsai 2006). Despite widespread usability, BPA has been classified as an endocrine-disrupting substance, producing developmental and metabolic disorders, decreased fertility, and premature sexual maturity (Bae et al. 2012; Hwang et al. 2018; Ikezuki et al. 2002; Inadera et al. 2015; Rochester 2013; Vandenberg et al. 2007; Weber et al. 2015). In particular, BPA-mediated effects on male reproductive system development have been intensively studied over the past decade (De Campos et al. 2019; Manfo et al. 2014; Pollard et al. 2019; Zhou et al. 2020). Given these growing concerns, chemicals structurally similar to BPA, particularly bisphenol F (BPF, 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyl-methane) and bisphenol S (BPS, 4,4′-sulfonylbisphenol), are gradually replacing its use in various industries (Rocha et al. 2015; Vervliet et al. 2019).
The expression of microRNAs and exposure to environmental contaminants related to human health: a review
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2022
Maria Rosaria Tumolo, Alessandra Panico, Antonella De Donno, Pierpaolo Mincarone, Carlo Giacomo Leo, Roberto Guarino, Francesco Bagordo, Francesca Serio, Adele Idolo, Tiziana Grassi, Saverio Sabina
Among phthalates and phenols, bisphenol A (BPA) was reported to affect neurological, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases (such as diabetes), cancers, and have harmful consequences for the developing fetus (Ikezuki et al. 2002; Jedeon et al. 2013). A cohort of pregnant women exposed to BPA was enrolled in a case–control study carried out by De Felice et al., in order to investigate miRNA changes. Microarray analysis showed the altered profile of 18 miRNAs; the verification of their dysregulated expression by qRT-PCR revealed a significant overexpression of miR-146a-5p. Functional significance of this miRNA was evaluated applying bioinformatic analysis and suggested that miR-146a-5p is probably associated to neural disease genes (interleukin 1 receptor-associated kinase 1 – IRAK1, sortilin 1 – SORT1, etc.), endocrine system genes pathway (TP53 regulating kinase), cardiovascular disease genes (ABL2), and cancer-related pathways (EGFR, p53, TLR) (De Felice et al. 2015).
Marine sediment derived bacteria Enterobacter asburiae ES1 and Enterobacter sp. Kamsi produce laccase with high dephenolisation potentials
Published in Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology, 2021
Chiedu E. Edoamodu, Uchechukwu U. Nwodo
The increased ecological and health challenges caused by environmental contaminants occur via natural or xenobiotic discharge at a different ecological niche and have raised huge concerns.[13,14] Additionally, these synthetics find their way into the various environment and freshwater bodies through plastic dump sites, paint spray, combustion systems, and other anthropogenic activities.[15] An example is the bisphenol A (BPA) compound, a widely used plasticizer for producing polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins, and other polymers for domestic and industrial purposes.[14] As of 2012, it was reported that the demand for BPA reached 6.5 million tons globally.[14,16] Owing to its mutagenic and carcinogenic properties and vast global discharge, the urgent need for cost-effective techniques that can efficiently degrade BPA from the environment is on the rise.[14,15] The physiochemical and biological approaches applied for pollutant remediation have encountered some hindrances. However, the biocatalytic application on pollutant remediation has proven advantages; it is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The delignifying enzyme laccase has shown promise as a natural biocatalyst. Its broad substrate range makes it promising for treating both organic and inorganic contaminants like bisphenol A, 2,4 dichlorophenol, iodine, and potassium ferrocyanoferrate, etc..[17–20]