VOA常速英语2008年-Study Finds Some Plastic Baby Bottles Release T

By Robert Raffaele
Washington, DC
12 February 2008
 

Tests on several plastic baby bottles have found they emit "very significant" levels of a chemical linked to deadly illnesses in laboratory animals. That is according to a new report released by American and Canadian environmental health groups. Advocates are demanding immediate¹ action, as VOA's Robert Raffaele explains.

The study found 95 percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with bisphenol A, or BPA, a synthetic² sex hormone³ used in making hard, polycarbonate plastic.

 

Low levels of BPA have been linked to diseases in laboratory animals, including cancer.

Researchers found that after heating four brands of baby bottles (Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown's and Disney/First Years) , they emitted between five and eight parts per billion of BPA.

Health advocate Mike Schade from The Center for Health, Environment and Justice explains, "When bottles are used extensively over time and when they're heated, higher levels of this chemical leaches⁴, exposing young infants to elevated levels of this unnecessary toxic⁵ chemical."

Canada's federal health department, Health Canada, says it is conducting a "high priority" review of bishpenol A, with a report due in May.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says BPA's adverse⁶ effects occur in animals only when they are exposed to "far higher levels" of the chemical than possible from a baby bottle. That agency is also reviewing BPA's potential risks.

"We know the animal studies raise concerns but there aren't human studies showing effects yet, so when we don't have the evidence, then what we recommend that parents do is actually err⁷ on the side of caution," says, Dr. Maida Galvez of New York's Mount Sinai Hospital.

Environmental groups are calling for a ban on all uses of BPA in plastic containers.

In the United States, nine states have introduced legislation that would restrict its use in children's products, including baby bottles.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

3 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

4 leaches   

n.（将化学品、矿物质等）过滤( leach的名词复数 )；（液体）过滤，滤去

参考例句：

• People consume it when it leaches from plastic into baby formula, water or food in container. 当它被从塑料中经沥滤而入婴儿配方奶粉、水或罐装食品当中的时候，人们将其摄入。 来自互联网
• After this article uses is also the microwave pretreatment, leaches the method with the solution. 本文采用的也是微波预处理后用溶液浸取的方法。 来自互联网

5 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

6 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

7 err   

vi.犯错误，出差错

参考例句：

• He did not err by a hair's breadth in his calculation.他的计算结果一丝不差。
• The arrows err not from their aim.箭无虚发。