I’m sure at one point or another you’ve heard someone say that plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and that all they do is create landfill waste. Then i’m sure you thought well if i recycle the bottle then it won’t be creating waste. Well it turns out the environment effects of plastic bottles may not be all you have to worry about. Research started coming out Back in 2007 that showed BPA (Bisphenol A) may be causing a variety of unwanted health risks to humans. Regardless of the finding of these early studies, it took the FDA 5 years until it banned the use of BPA in some plastic containers back in 2012. At first it wasn’t well understood how BPA was causing these problems, but a new study that was published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Science may have found at least one mechanism of how BPA is effecting the development of our young.
What is Bisphenol A? by riskbites
BPA is a manmade organic chemical that is a major component of polycarbonate plastic as well as epoxy resins that are used to coat the insides of many containers such as food cans and plastic water bottles. The main purpose of BPA is to prevent corrosion of the container itself by its contents. The problem with BPA is that it can mimic estrogen and disrupt our endocrine system.
Pocari Sweat by srowdrowa via Wikimedia Commons
During our development our neurons contain high levels of chloride ions, but as we mature the levels of chloride inside the neurons drops because of a chloride transporter called KCC2. When the developing neurons are exposed to even small levels of BPA these KCC2 transporters don’t work as well and chloride concentrations remain high inside the neuron. As a result of this the developing neurons suffer damage caused by the abnormal chloride levels. Although both male and female neurons are affected, female neurons seem to be more susceptible to BPA’s toxicity. This requires further research to be more certain, but it could could a possible factor in neurological disorders such as Rett syndrome among others that tend to plague females more so than males.
It may be time to start second guessing the use of those disposable plastic water bottles and consider replacing them with a BPA free reusable water bottle. Since the results of the many studies that preceded this one have come into light these more health friendly metal water bottles have become a very popular substitute. And hey it helps reduce a little waste at the same time….win win.
-Alex Gibson
