Product Overview

Bisphenol A is a chemical compound containing two phenol functional groups. It belongs to the phenol class of aromatic organic compounds. It is prepared by the reaction of two equivalents of phenol with one equivalent of acetone. Bisphenol A was first synthesized by A.P. Dianin in 1891. Bisphenol A was investigated in the 1930's during the search for synthetic estrogens. At that time, another synthetic compound, diethylstilbestrol, was determined to be more powerful than estrogen itself, so bisphenol A was not used as a synthetic estrogen. It's current uses are as a primary monomer in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins.

Bisphenol A is also used as an antioxidant in plasticizers and as a polymerization inhibitor in PVC. Polycarbonates are widely used in many consumer products, including sunglasses, CD's, water and food containers and shatter-resistant baby bottles. Some polymers used in dental fillings also contain bisphenol A, while epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are popular coatings for the inside of cans used for canning food.

Before bisphenol-A was used as an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic, the substance was recognized as a chemical that behaves like the hormone estrogen. British scientists who analyzed several organic compounds for estrogenic effects in the 1930's say in a 1933 article in the journal, Nature, that "the synthetic production of such substances would probably be of considerable clinical value" (Nature, Jan 14, 1933). These same scientists identified bisphenol-A as estrogenic in 1936 (Nature , June 13, 1936). The chemists who developed plastic made from bisphenol-A in the 1950's likely cared more about the physical properties of the substance than it's pharmacological properties.