Abstract

Each year, millions of tons of bisphenol-A (BPA) are produced and used in the global economy. In children, BPA exposure causes impaired brain development, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as anxiety and metabolic-related disorders. Pregnant women, infants and young children face the greatest risk from BPA exposure. Under public pressure, BPA has been banned from baby bottles, but BPA is still being heavily used in the industry and numerous consumer products. Using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a UV detector (HPLC–UV), we measured BPA (mg L−1) in fifteen local brands of plastic bottled water (n = 24) which are sold in markets of Zanjan, Iran. BPA levels ranged between “non-detectable” to 0.98 mg L−1. Spearman correlation test did not detect significant relationships between BPA and bottle color, its volume, or water pH. BPA increased, though negligibly, with increasing storage time and sunlight exposure. The estimated daily intake (EDI) was 0.075 × 10–3 μg kg-bw−1 day−1. Levels of BPA in bottled waters of the City of Zanjan were negligible. Protection of humans, wildlife and planet earth requires nothing less than a total ban on BPA.