Nature:
Daniel Zalko of the French National Institute for Agricultural
Research in Paris and his colleagues have used radioactive
tracers to prove that
bisphenol
A (BPA) is readily absorbed through the skin. The chemical,
which is widely used as an additive in plastics and other
consumer products, has been banned in Canada because of its
implication in a range of medical conditions, including birth
defects. Zalko and company's findings might help clear up a
mystery. Some people have higher levels of BPA in their bodies
than would be expected if they ingested it in food or drink.
Among the BPA-containing products that people routinely touch
is the thermal paper used for store receipts.
