Short term variability in urinary bisphenol A in Australian children

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Toxicology
• Biomonitoring

Background:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in food contact materials, leading to global population exposure.
• Understanding BPA variability is crucial for accurate biomonitoring, especially in vulnerable populations like children.
• Previous studies focused on adults, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding BPA variability in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the short-term variability of bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations in spot urine samples from young children.
• To assess the reliability of single spot urine samples for estimating BPA exposure in this age group.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 25 children aged 2-4 years in Queensland, Australia.
• Collected four spot urine samples per child over two days.
• Analyzed total BPA using isotope dilution online solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-SPE-LC-MS/MS).

Main Results:

• BPA concentrations ranged from 0.53 to 74.5 ng/ml (geometric mean: 2.70 ng/ml).
• Within- and between-individual variability were similar (ICC=0.51), higher than in adults.
• Sex and time of collection did not significantly predict BPA levels.

Conclusions:

• Single spot urine samples provide a reliable measure of short-term BPA exposure in young children.
• The observed variability suggests potential physiological or behavioral differences in children compared to adults.
• Further research is needed to determine if this reliability extends to longer exposure timeframes.