ReNe: to toss out that nalgene

Saw an article today:

Health Canada is calling bisphenol A a dangerous substance, making it the first regulatory body in the world to reach such a determination and taking the initial step toward measures to control exposures to it.

--snip--

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in modern industry. It is the basic building block for polycarbonate, the see-through, shatter-proof plastic that resembles glass, and is also used to make the epoxy resins lining the insides of most tin cans, along with some dental sealants, sports helmets, and compact discs.

Experts are worried about BPA in food and beverage containers. Products such as CDs aren't considered a problem.

Huh. So I guess the Nalgene bottle we're currently using is not good. Checking (AKA googling), yes, the polycarbonate Nalgene bottles do contain BPA.

Interestingly, there were conflicting reports on just what factors influence the rate of BPA leaching. A 1999 study found that new bottles, washed gently before using, leached 3.5 parts per billion (ppb) of BPA into water, while extremely worn and scratched bottles leached levels of BPA as high as 28 ppb (J Health Sci, 45(6): 318-323, 1999). In a more recent 2008 study, researchers tested new and old, scratched bottles, and found that age of the containers didn't influence how much BPA they leached in an hour, but adding hot water to them did, by up to a 55-fold increase. (Tox Lett, 176(2): 149-156, 2008). Most probably, it's both, i.e., both heat and old bottles increase leaching. It makes sense: heat should increase the migration of BPA molecules and an old, scratched bottle would have an increased surface for BPA to leach from.