Eco-friendly Way of Decomposing BPA-containing Plastic

Fungi may help provide an eco-friendly way of decomposing polycarbonate plastic waste containing bisphenol A ((BPA), two Indian scientists have revealed.

Mukesh Doble and Trishul Artham say manufacturers produce about 2.7 million tons of plastic containing BPA each year.

Highest Levels of BPA, an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical in Bottle-fed Infants
According to a study, infants fed from plastic bottles are found to have the highest estimated levels of Bisphenol A (BPA), with exposures falling with rising age.

Polycarbonate is an extremely recalcitrant plastic, used in everything from screwdriver handles to eyeglass lenses, DVDs, and CDs.

Some studies have suggested that the BPA may have a range of adverse health effects, sparking the search for an environmentally safe way of disposing of waste plastic to avoid release of BPA.

The scientists pretreated polycarbonate with ultraviolet light and heat and exposed it to three kinds of fungi - including the fabled white-rot fungus, used commercially for environmental remediation of the toughest pollutants.

Reproduction Problems in Female Offspring Linked to BPA Exposure
A new mice study has found that exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy leads to epigenetic changes that may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring.

They found that fungi grew better on pretreated plastic, using its BPA and other ingredients as a source of energy and breaking down the plastic.

After 12 months, there was almost no decomposition of the untreated plastic, compared to substantial decomposition of the pretreated plastic, with no release of BPA.

Exposure to Common Plastic Component BPA Causes Permanent Fertility Defects
Exposure during pregnancy to Bisphenol A (BPA), a common component of plastics, causes permanent abnormalities in the uterus of offspring, boffins at Yale School of Medicine have discovered.

The study has appeared in ACS' Biomacromolecules, a monthly journal.

Source-ANI
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Mother's BPA Exposure Increases Asthma Risk in Kids
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have revealed that a mother's exposure to bisphenol A, may increase the risk of asthma in her kids.