title: Determination of bisphenol A concentrations in human biological fluids reveals significant early prenatal exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is broad human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemical widely used for the production of plastic products. BPA is reported to affect preimplantation embryos or fetuses and alter their postnatal development at doses typically found in the environment. We measured contamination of BPA in various kinds of human biological fluids by a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were obtained from healthy premenopausal women, women with early and full-term pregnancy, and umbilical cord at full-term delivery. Ovarian follicular fluids obtained during IVF procedures and amniotic fluids obtained at mid-term and full-term pregnancy were also subject to BPA measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BPA was present in serum and follicular fluid at approximately 1-2 ng/ml, as well as in fetal serum and full-term amniotic fluid, confirming passage through the placenta. Surprisingly, an approximately 5-fold higher concentration, 8.3 +/- 8.7 ng/ml, was revealed in amniotic fluid at 15-18 weeks gestation, compared with other fluids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest accumulation of BPA in early fetuses and significant exposure during the prenatal period, which must be considered in evaluating the potential for human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikezuki
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taketani
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds