Occupational exposure levels of bisphenol A among Chinese workers.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to assess ambient Bisphenol A (BPA) levels in workplaces and urine BPA levels of workers. METHODS Workers in epoxy resin and BPA manufacturing factories were recruited. Personal samples for airborne BPA were taken in the workshops and spot urine samples were collected from workers before and after their shifts. The samples were assayed with high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. TWA8 of airborne PBA in the workplaces and biological BPA burden of the workers were calculated. Correlations between the external and the internal exposure levels were sought. RESULTS Workers from the factories were occupationally exposed to BPA at median personal airborne levels of 6.67 microg/m3 (or at the mean of 450 microg/m3). More than 90% of the workers who were occupationally exposed to BPA had detectable BPA levels in their blood samples. The medians of creatinine-adjusted urinary BPA levels were 84.6 microg/g Cr and 111 microg/g Cr pre- and post-shift (means of 4,630 microg/g Cr and 5,400 microg/g Cr), respectively. The urinary BPA concentration post-shift was significantly associated with the urinary BPA level pre-shift and personal airborne BPA levels. CONCLUSIONS It was indicated that workers in epoxy resin and BPA manufacturing factories are occupationally exposed to BPA at high levels. There is an urgent need to create occupational standards and take effective preventive measures to protect workers from the potential adverse effects of BPA.