A scientific research carried out by HÜGAM Hacettepe University Nutrition Research Center replied the allegations that the Bisfenol A amount in polycarbonate water dispensers was threating human health. .
As per the results of the research carried out first time in Turkey worldwide, Bisfenol A (BPA) in polycarbonate (PC) water dispensers migrates to water only in a ratio of 1/200 of the health limits internationally determined even if the water dispenser waits under a temperature of 35°C for 60 days.
It is mentioned that as per the migration level determined, an adult has to drink 60 dispenses of water and a child has to drink 6 dispenses of water in a day in order to receive BPA at a level threating human health. Hacettepe University Nutrition Research Center (HÜGAM) has researched the risk of migration of Bisfenol A to drinking water which is suspected to be carcinogenic as a result of its “endocrine deforming effect.
HÜGAM Deputy Manager and the president of research team Prof. Dr. Yasar Kemal Erdem said that during the research that was completed approximately in 3 months, by using the samples received from the market, they had tested migration levels of BPA in PC water dispensers to the water and they had found out that these levels were much below the international health limits.
Prof. Dr. Erdem, who is also the Head of Engineering Faculty, Food Engineering Department added in his explanation that by taking into account the possibility of direct sun exposure to the water dispenser, they had also kept the dispenser under 35°C temperature, but even in such a case, they had measured BPA migration level as 0,003 mg/kg maximum. Prof. Dr. Erdem said: “If we consider that this level is even less than 1/200 of 0,6 mg/kg which is the daily permitted legal level both in EU and Turkish legislation, we can say that the existence of BPA in Polycarbonate water dispensers is not threating human health. Prof. Dr. Erdem indicated that with this level of BPA, an adult has to drink 1,200 lt. (60 dispenses) water and a child has to drink 120 lt (6 dispenses) water in a day to face a risk of health.
