Date of Award
5-1-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Biology
First Reader
Dr. Sara Hubbard
Second Reader
Dr. Sharon Hamilton
Third Reader
Dr. Allyson Phillips
Abstract
Infants are at the highest risk of BPA exposure compared to any other stage of life. Because an infant’s endocrine system is developing, exposure to an endocrine-disruptor, such as BPA, can be especially harmful. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a structural component in many plastic products, which acts as an endocrine-disruptor mimicking estrogen. This hormonal disruption has been linked to obesity, reproductive issues, cardiovascular problems, and the neurodevelopment disorders. While the FDA monitors things like baby bottles, canned goods, and plastic containers for BPA, infantile oral hygiene products are not closely monitored. Previous research tested infant toothbrushes on the market using a FS5 Spectrofluorometer and found that many contain and leach BPA. When tested at the average body temperature, 37 °C, research showed an increased amount of BPA leaching from the toothbrushes. For this project, toothbrushes were tested by storing them at higher temperatures, 50 °C, prior to testing for time increments similar to that of shipment in semi-trucks. The results of this experiment revealed an insignificant increase in the amount of BPA leaching out of toothbrushes at increased duration and temperature.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Bynum, Emma, "Effects of Storage Conditions on BPA Leaching from Infant Oral Hygiene Products using Fluorescence Spectroscopy" (2022). Honors Theses. 858.
https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses/858