Oestrogenicity of paper and cardboard extracts used as food containers.
Bisphenol-A (BPA), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which are common chemical residues in food-packaging materials, were investigated in paper and cardboard containers used for take-away food. The oestrogenicity of aqueous extracts was tested in E-Screen bioassay and analysis carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Oestrogenicity was demonstrated in 90% of extracts (geometric mean [GM] = 11.97 pM oestradiol equivalents g(-1)). DEHP, DBP, and BPA (GM = 341.74, 37.59, and 2.38 ng g(-1) of material) were present in 77.50, 67.50, and 47.50% of samples, respectively. In bivariate analyses, no significant association was found between the levels of these chemicals and oestrogenicity in cardboard/paper extracts. A close-to-significant association was found between oestrogenicity and DBP (beta = 1.25; p = 0.06) in paper extracts, which reached statistical significance in multivariate analysis (beta = 1.61; p = 0.03). Paper and cardboard used in food packaging may contribute to the inadvertent exposure of consumers to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Lopez-Espinosa
M-J
MJ
Laboratory of Medical Investigations, San Cecilio University Hospital, University of Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
Granada
A
A
Araque
P
P
Molina-Molina
J-M
JM
Puertollano
M-C
MC
Rivas
A
A
Fernández
M
M
Cerrillo
I
I
Olea-Serrano
M-F
MF
López
C
C
Olea
N
N
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D018857:Food Packaging; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D010209:Paper; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; D004958:Estradiol; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds