Bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC, FPF reported) and as regulatory restrictions on BPA have increased, use of structurally similar bisphenol analogues (e.g., bisphenol S (BPS, CAS 0-09-1)) and non-bisphenol functional alternatives (e.g., bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE, CAS 1675-54-3)) have increased to replace it. However, many of these alternatives are confirmed or suspected to share BPA’s endocrine activity; some are regulated together with BPA while others are not (FPF reported and here). Because these chemicals are commonly used in plastic and other types of food contact materials, humans and the environment are widely exposed to them (FPF reported).
On April 3, 2026, the Australia-based Minderoo Foundation published an article in the journal Environment International, in which Bhedita J. Seewoo and co-authors assessed the scientific evidence base on human exposure levels to 90 bisphenol chemicals and alternatives used in plastics. One major focus of the evidence mapping was to identify and visualize potential social and environmental justice (SEJ) issues in the available exposure data. SEJ issues refer to disparities in exposure to environmental toxicants, whereby racial and ethnic minority groups, or socially disadvantaged communities, may be more exposed.
What did they find?
Considering data from 1,413 studies, Seewoo and co-authors identified disparities across geographic regions, population groups, chemicals, and sociodemographics.
Most studies assessed exposure to bisphenols and their alternatives in high-income countries, whereas only one study was conducted in a low-income country (Democratic Republic of the Congo), and only few focused on Small Island Developing States. The mapping also showed that of the 30 countries with high plastic exposure (for example, due to high import rates or plastic waste generation), only 17 were covered by scientific studies. Occupational exposure was similarly understudied; it was included in 19 out of the 1,413 studies.
BPA was by far the most investigated compound (91.81% of studies), followed by BPS (25%). Notably, 53 out of the 90 chemicals included in the systematic evidence mapping were not analyzed in any study, demonstrating that exposure to many BPA analogues and bisphenol alternatives remains uncharacterized. Co-authors Dr. Elagali clarifies, “As BPA is phased out, a growing number of alternative bisphenol chemicals are being introduced into consumer products, despite limited evidence on human exposure and potential health effects. Our findings highlight a significant gap between the rapid expansion of plastic-associated chemicals and the scientific evidence needed to understand population exposures and evaluate the safety of many replacement compounds.”
Concerning the populations studied, the authors found gaps for age and sociodemographics. Children under two years of age were frequently studied, whereas elderly populations were largely underrepresented. No study considered sexual and gender minority populations in its study design, and socioeconomic status and ethnicity were reported inconsistently. First author, Dr. Seewoo says, “The map shows that communities most likely to face high plastic and chemical burdens are often the least represented in exposure research. Without more geographically diverse and socially inclusive studies, important exposure disparities may remain invisible in both science and policy.”
What do they recommend?
Based on these gaps, the researchers recommend that future studies systematically record sexual orientation and gender identity and capture sociodemographic variables in a harmonized and consistent manner. Such approaches would allow “to assess disparities across social group.” They also call for longitudinal and geographically diverse studies. Given the limited investigation of bisphenol analogues and non-bisphenol alternatives, these substances should receive increased research attention. Another important gap identified by the authors concerns potential sources of exposure.
The SEJ Bisphenol Map is available as a searchable, filterable database on Minderoo’s website and allows users to download bibliographic details of articles of interest.
Bisphenols are one chemical group that is included in Minderoo’s Plastic Health Map, which summarizes the human health outcomes associated with selected plastic chemicals as well as micro- and nanoplastics (FPF reported).
What did they do?
For their systematic evidence mapping, the scientists searched MEDLINE®, Embase and Web of Science databases and grey literature for pre-defined search strings and included 1,431 studies that quantified one or more of the 90 targeted chemicals in human biological samples. The 90 bisphenol chemicals and their potential alternative were identified by consulting eight literature and regulatory sources and prioritize them, e.g., based on their use in plastics. Ultimately, from 1,413 studies they extracted a wide set of information on the human populations, including age of exposure, biological sex, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, as well as on the chemical, including name, concentration, and detection frequency. The protocol of the mapping was registered in November 2023 with the Open Science Framework.
Reference
Seewoo, B. J. et al. (2026). “A spatio-temporal systematic evidence map of exposure to bisphenols and their alternatives: Social and environmental justice.” Environment International. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110232
