On November 4, 2019, Melissa Ferguson and co-authors from the University of Guleph published a scientific article in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports finding that bisphenol S (BPS; CAS 80-09-1) “rapidly depresses heart function” at physiologically relevant doses. BPS has partially been used to replace bisphenol A (BPA; CAS 80-05-7) in the creation of food contact plastics and coatings. The authors exposed murine hearts to either BPS or BPA at concentrations found in humans and observed the impacts on heart function. Both chemicals were found to cause depressant effects, which included decreases systolic pressure and in rates of contraction and relaxation. The effects were observed to take place within just a few minutes of exposure.
Study co-author and biomedical professor Glen Pyle commented that “we expected to find similar effects from BPS as we have with BPA, but not at the speed that it worked.” Pyle explained that “previous research has looked at the chronic effects that can happen when exposed to BPS over days. But we are the first to show how fast BPS can work. This is an important finding because it means you don’t need to have a buildup of the chemical over time to experience its harmful effects.” The authors write that “this study raises concerns about the safety of BPS as a replacement for BPA.”
Read More
News Medical (January 9, 2020). “Study: Bisphenol S can hinder heart function within minutes of exposure.”
Chemical Watch (January 16, 2020). “BPS may affect heart function, study suggests.”
Reference
Ferguson M., et al. (2019). “Bisphenol S rapidly depresses heart function through estrogen receptor-β and decreases phospholamban phosphorylation in a sex-dependent manner.” Scientific Reports 9:15948 (published online November 4, 2019).
