MU Bond Life Sciences Center investigator Cheryl Rosenfeld is studying the impact of BPA on painted turtles in collaboration with scientists from MU, the St. Louis Zoo, the U.S. Geological Survey and Westminster College. These turtles and many amphibians are extremely sensitive to environmental contaminants and may indicate wider issues from certain types of environmental contaminants.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) and other estrogenic compounds are becoming increasingly prevalent in the environment. More than 8 billion tons of BPA are produced each year in manufacturing, and pharmaceutical compounds like ethinyl estradiol make their way into rivers and streams. They can affect the sexual and cognitive development of animals.