BPA

BPAs (Oliver and Graham)

__**Backround**__ BPA's is a chemical that was deemed of being hazardous and dangerous as it is but only in some situations. BPA stands for Bisphenol A and we use BPA to make a various amounts of products. For everyday objects we can find Bisphenol A in baby bottles, water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental devices, dental composite (white) fillings and sealants, lenses, and household electronics. It is pretty much a good component that is used in every or most plastic that we see nowadays. It can be used to make a very hard and shatterproof plastic. Polycarbonate is pretty much similar to BPA and we use it to make CD's and DVD's. There are a lot of positive things about BPA's that helps us out in our daily life. Without BPA things would be different; reusable objects would decrease in numbers so not much more plastic cups or water bottles. Helmets would have to have some other plastic in them; a plastic that might not be as durable or dense as BPA. I would believe that we have a big plus because without BPA; what would be used as a alternative for the fillings that we get for our cavities? Think of all the electronics that were made using BPA for a good reason; The melting point if pretty high at 159 degrees celcius so under normal conditions and even pretty hot conditions; nothing would happen to the items with BPA in it.

__**What are they found in?**__

There are heath effects of Bisphenol A(BPA's) and they are not very god at all they affect your hormones when being exposed to these BPA's. There are also other things that you have to watch like it was quite a concern in baby bottles and how the BPA's would leak into the liquid in the bottle and the baby or child would drink it. Different states are trying to really find their own restrictions for BPA's and how they work. BPA's cause health effects ranging from cancer to infertility and obesity. Bisphenol A causes developmental toxicity, carcinogenic effects, and possible neurotoxicity at low doses in animals. Acetone, carbolic acid, or polystyrene can enter your child's body. BPA mimics estrogen and could trigger hormonal responses. BPA's can be fond in cups, and cutlery, but also into breast pumps, toys, and thousands of household and medical supplies. BPA's react differently with components of food, particularly aminoacids cysteine and methionine. THe BPA's are deadly when it comes to combining it with vitamin C. Tests have shown that there was a critical amount of brain damage that can be done. It can be dangerous if orange juice is in a BPA- containing bottle.
 * __Health and Environment__**

Environmental Implications There are a lot of systems that BPA's affect but to be concerned with them is to much because for the environment; the little amount that BPA's do is really not dangerous. The amount of BPA that we take in to our body is something we should be concerned about because they might be small dosages but your body can still be affected by them. The vast majority of BPA produced, greater than 99.9%, is consumed at manufacturing sites to make products such as polycarbonate plastic or epoxy resins. Bisphenol A is a solid with low volatility at ambient temperature conditions, water solubility of 120-300 milligrams per liter and a greater solubility at alkaline pH values. Bisphenol A has been shown to be readily biodegradable, meaning that it breaks down rapidly in the environment. When it degrades it is released into the environment which causes the environment no good either. The environment is not the only system that is affected because of BPA. Not to get into anatomy too much but it really can affect your reproductive system inside your body along with your immune system. For now that has not really been a big problem though it has cause some sterility problems and for the future there can be bigger issues in store. Better to squash the problem while its smaller.

__**Synthesis/ Production**__

BPA's are made and are in Polycarbonate plastic. It is made pretty much with the condensation of acetone (which is where the A in Bisphenol A comes from) then you add 2 equivalent amounts of phenol to the acetone and you have Bisphenol A. The chemical formula would be C15H16O2 for BPA.

__**Economic/ Political impact**__ I think that it is a good thing if BPA's were banned. There would be nothing that would change and the world does not needs babies getting sick and dying because of these BPAs. Even though it was used in many plastics it has no reason to be in them. BPA's serve no purpose in the plastics. The use of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins for food contact applications has been and continues to be recognized as unsafe. It would be better if they were gone. There are ones that we can do for a low price and that we do not have to pay an extreme amount for. there are things that you do not have to use like BPAs. BPAs do not have to be in the plastics and they can be used else where. WE would have almost all of the products and we may not have some plastic items like plastic wrap, Tupperware, and some drinking bottles. i think that it will not affect us as much at all because there are always alternitives in life for these things there can be so many different ways to use different objects and methods. man kind could survive. ( UNLESS WE WERE DESPPERATE) For the most part the governmet thinks that it is safe and not dangerous at all they only looked on it on a surface level and not deeper into it at all that is dangerous for the people.

__**Sources and Sites**__ local.content.compendiumblog.com/.../BPA.jpg

http://www.getoutdoorgear.com/images/nalgene-bisphenol-a-plastic.jpg

http://smartcanucks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bisphenol-a-code-7.jpg

http://www.uscontainer.com/images/sm_metal_cans_lg.jpg www.potholeskinny.com/.../cds-compact-discs.jpg