Concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues (together with their chlorinated derivatives are referred to as BPs) were measured in 181 breastmilk samples collected from 9 provinces in China in 2014. Twelve BP types were found. The BP concentrations ranged from not detected to 5.912 μg/L. BPA was the predominant BP, followed by bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS). The mean BPA, BPF, and BPS levels were 0.444, 0.107, and 0.027 μg/L, respectively. Other BPs were sporadically detected in breastmilk samples. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in BPA, BPF, BPS, or total BP levels in the urban and rural regions or the northern and southern regions. BPA accounted for approximately 70% of the BPs and BPF accounted for more than 20% of the BPs in breast milk samples. The high contribution of BPF indicated that BPA analogues, not only BPA, should receive attention. The upper-bound daily intakes of BPs for infants 0-6 months old were 0.044-1.291 μg/kg bw/day. Despite the absence of tolerable daily intake data, attention should be paid not only on BPA but also BPF.
Keywords: bisphenol analogues; breast milk; exposure assessment; infants.