Hormone disrupting chemical Bisphenol A can transfer from receipts into our bloodstream Event

Ein US-amerikanisches Forscherteam von der Missouri-Universität veröffentlichte am 22. Oktober 2014 eine Studie in der internationale Online-Fachzeitschrift PLUS ONE, die belegt, dass der hormonell wirkende Stoff Bisphenol A (BPA) nach dem Kontakt mit Thermopapier über die Hände in den Blutkreislauf des Menschen gelangen kann. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass dieser Effekt nach dem Benutzen von Handdesinfektionsmittel oder Handcremes das Absorbieren verstärkt eintritt. Nachdem die Versuchspersonen sich die Hände desinfizierten, fassten sie einen Kassenbon an und aßen etwas mit ihren Fingern. Nach 90 Minuten fanden die Forscher erhebliche Mengen von BPA im Urin und im Blutserum der Probanden und Probandinnen.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used in a variety of consumer products, such as water bottles, dental composites and resins used to line metal food and beverage containers, and also is used in thermal paper cash register receipts. Now, research conducted at the University of Missouri is providing the first data that BPA from thermal paper used in cash register receipts accounts for high levels of BPA in humans. Subjects studied showed a rapid increase of BPA in their blood after using a skin care product and then touching a store receipt with BPA. “BPA first was developed by a biochemist and tested as an artificial estrogen supplement,” said Frederick vom Saal, Curators Professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Science at MU. “As an endocrine disrupting chemical, BPA has been demonstrated to alter signaling mechanisms involving estrogen and other hormones. Store and fast food receipts, airline tickets, ATM receipts and other thermal papers all use massive amounts of BPA on the surface of the paper as a print developer. The problem is, we as consumers have hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps and sunscreens on our hands that drastically alter the absorption rate of the BPA found on these receipts.” In the study, researchers tested human subjects who cleaned their hands with hand sanitizer and then held thermal paper receipts. As an added step, subjects who had handled the thermal paper then ate French fries with their hands. The result was that BPA was absorbed very rapidly, vom Saal said. The study, “Holding thermal receipt paper and eating food after using hand sanitizer results in high blood bioactive and urine total levels of bisphenol A (BPA)” was published online in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE on October 22 2014.