Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Bisphenol A: What is it? & A Guide to this blog!

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound made for the plastic industry and mainly is used for softening plastics to a more malleable state. BPA is a problematic source because it falls into a category of Hydrocarbon, meaning that it is made out of Hydrogen, Oxgen, and Carbon. You can see the chemical properties at the MSDS page in the link list in the side bar. Above in the home/media archive directory you can find an archive of all of the picture and video posted on the blog.

Thank you for viewing!
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Steps Consumers should take

If you are a consumer there are easy steps you can take to avoid BPA, and getting plastic items that are labeled BPA free, staying away from cans, and having non labeled plastics tested.

Vocabulary Words

1. Estrogen- any of several major female sex hormones

2. Synthetic- created in a lab

3. Toxicity - how pervasive something is


4. Chromosome - The full name for a DNA


5. Genetics - the study of genes, DNA, and their diseases


6. Hydrocarbon - something made from Hydrogen, Carbon, and Oxygen


7. Gestation - pregnancy


8. Bioassay -  Measurement of the potency of a substance by its effect on living cells


9. Consumer - the general public that uses this substance


10. Chronic - over time

Toxicity of BPA

BPA when heated or exposed to acid leeches into the food or liquid, and creates problems. Since BPA is found in the lining of cans and is used to make plastic softer and more malleable. One notable thing is that it is a hydrocarbon, or a molecule of Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Carbon, which in certain cases is helpful or harmful.

BPA and Reproduction

BPA is currently under speculation by many of the endocrinology, reproductive specialists, and genetics communities. BPA is now believed to be harmfull to the reproductive system not just in hormone development but also in pregnancies. Dr. Giudice, the chair of OBGYN at UCSF, and Dr. Hunt, professor of genetics at Washington State, have found that BPA may be effecting fetus development and chromosome creation in mice. In humans, fertility rates have gone down and frequency of genetic diseases such as male genital development in gestation, and inborn defects.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

BPA - Chemical Makeup

BPA is a compound made from Carbon, Oxgen, and Hydrogen.
The formula is C15H16O2. Making it fairly simple to find since most life forms are made from these three essential elements. But a large thing wrong with this is the fact that it is seemingly a synthetic estrogen.

Is Bisphenol A cancerous?

The President's Cancer Panel recently stated that the federal government has underestimated the role that environmental toxins may cause in the development of cancer, and its singled out
Bisphenol A as one of the most serious exposures facing Americans. In the earlier toxins post, it said that BPA is not harmful in any way, shape or form, and that it isn't cancereous. This says just the opposite. BPA seems to be clearly harmful, toxic, and cancerous.